


Mutual Benefit

by AikoIsari



Series: Digimon No Verse [1]
Category: Digimon Xros Wars | Digimon Fusion
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Other, Post-Canon, Superpowers, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-03-14 10:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3407060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AikoIsari/pseuds/AikoIsari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it was okay that his hero wasn't perfect. That meant he didn't have to be and that left all the more room for second chances. Maybe that meant he too was capable of evolution. As were they all... (Old fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I know I shouldn't be starting another story but this is me having fun with canon while I work through my other stories. It's unbetaed, and if someone wants to beta it that would be beautiful. And Toei honestly asked for this. This story takes place after the end of Xros Wars: Hunters though it won't really be obvious for a while. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Glass

"The human psyche is like glass. Press too hard in too many places and it breaks."

Mold. It was a scent he was well-familiar with on buildings, softening his steps to near-silence. He looked at each building, hearing the long-etched cries of battle that had once taken place here. Biting his lip, the boy walked on, suppressing the memories as well as he could. He hated that he could still feel the tingling rush of battle. He wanted to forget now, forget that he had tried to be something so beautiful and strong and things that he just  _wasn't._ He couldn't shake the memories as much as he desired, blood on his hands and darkness seeping from his body. The sensations were trapped in his skin and had no urge to leave, just like the mold, a thing that made him think of rotten age.

The boy wondered who had called him here. Or maybe it was  _what_  had done so. He didn't want to consider it but… he was likely the perfect source of power. If that was the case… he was lucky he had come armed. The game was in its second phase and despite everything, he didn't want to play anymore. Shaking his head, he walked on, humming a song to himself in a troubling attempt to soothe the heartbeat that was pounding his eardrums. He wasn't excited. What was there to be enthusiastic over? The competition was over for him and his teammates likely weren't interested anymore.

Yet… he couldn't understand. Why did he have the strangest sensation… the sensation that something was wrong, that someone  _needed_ him? It was the closest thing to panic he had felt in a long while and made his feet move faster, making him run toward whatever this was. It was reckless, likely ridiculously dangerous, but it also was right.

The smell of fading smoke watered his eyes only a moment later, mixing with the scent of blood. It was thicker than the smoke somehow and made him cough painfully. The soothing plastic of the pill bottle made him relax a little bit as he covered his mouth, struggling to walk.  _A human… can't make this much blood… can they?_ Puddles caught his eye, their look sticky red and haunting… just like…

_Those eyes…_

-I have no use for him anymore.-

Pain coiled in his chest and he forced it down, following the trail to an open door where a soft green light was feebly trying to stay visible. The boy almost hesitated, the smell sickening him more, before he entered the room. He stepped forward.

"Who's there?" The words made him freeze and he shivered at the feeling of blood seeping into one of his boots.

"Ah…" He tried to force some confidence but he felt like he had walked into a butcher's workshop. "I…" The green light moved and brought the room into vivid clarity.

Ryouma couldn't help the fear that rose over his face. "Ta-Taiki-san…"

Kudo Taiki looked at him with helpless grey eyes, seemingly stuck in a half sitting position as he clutched an open wound on his side. "Help her…." He whispered, looking towards where the green light was focused on a still body, a pink rabbit staring at it with desperation. "Please Ryouma. I think my mom is dying."

_They weren't supposed to be here._

_He had felt that the second they had left the restaurant, the night sky aglow with Koto streetlights and the warbling of many voices unable to disguise the creeping feeling under the back of his neck. His mother was beaming, chattering about grades and her friends at work and how happy she was about that raise and-_

" _Kaa-san?" She had paused in her laid-back rattle of events that always made him eager to listen, sometimes gave him inspiration to write when he thought about it. Her face had darkened, orange hair falling in an almost droopy sort of way as she looked toward something he couldn't see in the shadows of the sidestreet._

" _Fancy seeing you here!"_

_His blood ran cold and the teen stepped back. Him. Why was he here? Every time there was a second of peace for them to drop their guard and not have crazy things of the realistic and fantastical variety throw them a curve ball, he showed up. Couldn't he just let well enough alone? His mother's stony expression was followed by a step forward, blocking the teen from view or blow. His fingers curled toward his Xros Loader, where everything could be settled. Not that anything should be settled that way but this guy wasn't normal. No he was likely crazy and the best thing to do with true insanity if you couldn't fix it was get the heck away from it._

" _Kaa-san," he hissed softly. "We need to go remember? Midotani-san is waiting for us." It was a lie, a lie through his teeth so terrible he ought to get shot for it."_

_His mother nodded distractedly. "Yes, it's been a while. However we're running a bit late. So you'll have to excuse us." The teen bit his tongue as his mother turned and hurried away; following her with only one backward glance. That one snippet made nausea rise in his stomach. He saw a gleaming smile of white and flickering eyes focused on him. No, not on him; on his Xros Loader._

_They had to get out of here._

_He wasn't sure where his mother was taking them but all too soon they had entered the colder parts of the city, the ones intending to be rebuilt at one point or another. Around that time, new sounds and… scents began to flare on his senses. It was strangely blurry, like he was nearly unconscious. Around his ears was growling and he felt the world seem to slow. Heavy footsteps behind him and he caught a glimpse of a red light-_

"Kudou-san!"

Taiki turned slowly to face the nurse, her chocolate-brown eyes watching him with what had to be worry. Instantly the urge rose up to console her. He was fine, he wanted to say, but the words were stuck in his throat with the vivid image of the Emergency light a bright, horrifying red.  _Kaa-san…_

He was definitely not okay.

"Kudou-san please let me look at your side," she requested with all the firmness that a professional had. He gave her a pleading stare with his eyes. Why were they worried about him? Why weren't they helping his mother? He was going to live. He was definitely going to…

-"Live for the future. If you don't seize it, it won't be yours."-

"Kudou-san I will have to move you myself if you won't comply." Still the woman insisted to a request. Now that he thought about it, it was a simple one. There was no real reason to deny her. She just wanted to do her job and help. He shouldn't be so childish. As he turned over on his left, he winced as she pulled the pajama top over the flesh. There was a faint, almost scared hitch of breath far from his ears. Taiki thought he knew who it was and a flash of envy tugged him.  _You get to be weak._ The bitterness passed, returning to the guilt he was growing accustomed with all over again. Soft fingers pressed over bandages and the woman tsked. "The bleeding has stopped. However no one cleaned these bruises. I'll be right back Kudou-san. Please roll onto your stomach."

Taiki obediently rolled over, trying to avoid thinking about how lucky he was. Mom was… well the fact that she was in the emergency ward said it all. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the quiet, worried eyes of Mogami Ryouma staring at him with something akin to tenderness. Well, at least it wasn't pity. He would get that from the others he knew. The younger boy looked away, teal gaze filling with something like guilt.

" _Thank you."_ Ryouma visibly jumped like a startled cat before his eyes locked back onto the patient with reluctance and hope.

"Taiki-san… what did you just do?"

Taiki blinked slowly, clearly confused.  _"I… I thanked you."_

"But you didn't say anything."

" _Yes I di-… oh."_  He frowned at his pillow puzzledly.  _"Well that's new."_  Ryouma just stared at him before lowering his eyes.  _"Well… I guess this means I'll be able to talk to somebody. At least it's someone I know."_

"You don't have to do that Taiki-san." Taiki peered up at him with confusion. "You don't have to pretend to be nice to me," Ryouma elaborated, small dark smile twisting at his lips. "I did something incredibly stupid… and besides… with what's going on… I'd think I would be the last person you'd want to be trying to be strong with." After those words left his lips, Ryouma felt his face heat up and ducked away. Usually he was in good control of himself but…

Perhaps tonight was just a bad night.

Taiki remained silent for a while before he spoke softly.  _"Thanks."_ Ryouma squeezed his eyes shut in a sorrowful feeling like anger. Why couldn't he be resented for a moment? Couldn't Taiki be angry with him? Couldn't he have someone attack him for once? Was that what heroes did: forgive everybody?

"For what?" He slowly looked up to see tears falling from the elder's face. "T-Taiki-san…"

" _I don't have to be strong…"_ whispered the voice in his mind.  _"Do I?"_  Ryouma became vividly aware of a dark cloud of smog wrapped around his hero. Maybe it wasn't visible but something was choking him and if they weren't careful would kill him. Raising his head, Ryouma quietly dragged the stool over to the bed and sat on it. Recklessly, he rested a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"No," he said decisively. "I don't think Taiki-san needs to be strong right now."

The elder's shoulders slumped and Taiki let himself cry for a moment. Ryouma watched and as a part of his mind, the predatory side of it, rose to strike, he squashed it. If he was forgiven for nearly killing someone, his hero could be forgiven for being human.

"Taiki-san... I'm sorry."

 _"...We both are."_  A few minutes passed and Taiki smiled weakly.  _"Hey... think we can be friends now?"_

Ryouma stared at him before a dust of pink touched his cheeks. "I... I don't mind."

 _"...Great... then can you take care... of my Xros Loader?"_ Taiki's eyes closed and his head drooped, cheeks slightly puffy.  _"I can't let them have it."_

"Um..." He nodded and took it from where it sat on the desk. "Who is them?" Quartzmon was gone... and so was Bagramon... so who...

 _"I don't know...but that's what I'm afraid of..."_ The voice eased into quiet and Ryouma sighed. He supposed he should be frightened. If a legendary hero was worried, he had every right to run. But watching the boy sleep, a strong urge welled up in his chest.

If he could get another chance, he wanted to use it to protect Taiki-san.

The sun found him semi-conscious on the other side of Taiki's bed, hidden from the door. Ryouma almost yawned and moved but the air was peaceful with sleep. So he kept himself still until a cheery yet sly voice poked in on his thoughts.

"Yo kid." He glanced toward a chair to see Shoutmon tipping it back on its hind legs. If anyone made him think of a king, it was this digimon. Scarred with battle, fierce harsh eyes that were loyal and determined to do what was right, and a wild feeling that made him instantly likeable. "He's still sleepin', don't worry."

Ryouma nodded. "His… his mom?"

The red dragon shook his head and shrugged solemnly. "Ain't tellin' me a thing. Seriously am I that scary?"

"… I… guess? You don't set horror into me if that helps." For a moment Shoutmon just stared at him and Ryouma reflected on why he had no friends. He wasn't a social butterfly. He glanced at Taiki and relaxed a little. That wasn't quite so true…

The red dragon abruptly smiled at him. "You remind me of Kiriha, except I didn't have to scream at you fifteen thousand times. I think we're gonna get along just fine."

"Glad to know I have the king's seal of approval," he heard himself deadpan. Shoutmon laughed.

"You're doing better than Tagiru at least," he commented before glancing out the window. "When are they supposed to get here?" Ryouma shrugged. He wasn't privy to their personal lives. Shoutmon let out a sigh. "Damn it…" The whisper was full of self-hate. "I can't believe I let this happen."

"What happened exactly?"

Shoutmon glanced at him and moved the chair back onto all fours. Taiki didn't stir. "They got attacked by Digimon in that building. He couldn't get any of us out before his mom got…" He winced. "Mauled."

"I didn't even know that was a human," Ryouma admitted quietly. "But how is… how Taiki-san in such a good condition?"

Shoutmon made an odd click with his tongue. "I dunno. I was in the Xros Loader. Wisemon said that at the time he had felt an immense human Digital Power surge."

"Digital Power?"

Shoutmon glanced at him with a frown. "That geezer didn't tell you guys anything," he surmised. "Sensible. Taiki avoided the topic too. Digipower, Digital Power, is something kind of like blood. It fuels our attacks, heals our data, and stuff like that. When it comes from humans, it gives us the power to evolve and to DigiXros. Except… We clearly didn't do that."

"It looked like someone had committed obscene amounts of murder in there when I got there," he mused. "So… what exactly happened?"

" _I killed them."_

Taiki's abrupt mental interjection into the conversation caused Shoutmon to flip the chair backwards and bruise his head. Scowling lightly, he flipped it back up to stare at his partner. "God damn," grumbled the dragon. "Learn to warn a guy…" Ryouma got up to sit on the stool again, staring at his idol with a mixture of wonder and dismay. He just kept getting farther and farther away…

Mentally Ryouma kicked himself. Now was not the time to make an ass out of himself and get jealous… or admire. Taiki looked at him, somehow guessing his thoughts.  _I'm… not sure how… but it was kind of like with Grademon."_ Shoutmon nodded, leaving Ryouma hopelessly confused. Taiki sat up and smiled a bit, a gesture that likely meant later.  _"I remember feeling like: I want them to leave me alone… to stop attacking my mom… I wanted to destroy them. Then… everything was on fire."_ He glanced at Ryouma again and smiled appreciatively, making the other look away too quickly.  _"That's all I remember until you found me."_

"Sounds like something to do with the Code Crown," Shoutmon muttered. "Wonderful. We have no  _clue_ where the damn thing is."

Ryouma listened a little longer, hearing the shuffling of footsteps. Reluctantly, he left his seat and got up. "I think we need to go Shoutmon… the doctors are coming."

Shoutmon groaned. "Crap…" Reluctantly he returned to the Xros Loader Ryouma was holding. This felt so awkward… carrying his hero's Xros Loader like this.

He glanced back at Taiki. "Want me to get you anything…?"

Taiki smiled again, the expression sad and weak. Last night had not been forgotten.  _"Can you check on my mom?"_

"Of course," he replied. "I'm not that bad of a person."

Taiki laughed in his mind and Ryouma paled.  _"You're not a bad person at all."_ Ryouma shook his head and hurried out of the room, cheeks burning. The further he got from the room, the more a smile tugged at his lips. He really was hopeless. Ren was going to kill him… or mock him to death. The quiet soothed and disturbed him. Then he coughed a little and sighed, brushing silver hair from his eyes.

"I hate being sick sometimes," he muttered to himself, pulling a pill from his pocket. He swallowed it dry and wiped spit from his mouth.

"Cold?" Wisemon's oh-so-innocent inquiry made him chuckle.

"Getting over one," he replied, swallowing again to rid himself of the taste of the pill. He could almost feel the sorcerer pout and shook his head. Digimon were such strange, beautiful creatures.

" _You don't know how many times I've thought that same thing."_ Ryouma kept his composure, small smile tilting at his lips.

" _Taiki-san, you're trying to give me a heart attack,"_ he managed to say in his mind, doubting it would actually be heard. To his surprise (again damn him), there was a gentle laugh.

" _Sorry, that was accidental."_

Ryouma resisted the urge to laugh and groan at the same time, settling for a small pout.  _"I'm not sure whether to call this convenient or disturbing."_

" _Hmm… both? I'm still not sure what's going on… ahaha~"_

" _Taiki-san?"_

" _Hm?"_

" _You're a horrible liar."_

Taiki laughed weakly, the sound nearly coming out as a sob.  _"Only to you it seems like…"_

Ryouma frowned but didn't ask, instead narrowly avoiding a passing doctor. Stopping at the door of the intensive care unit, he discreetly got the attention of one of the nurses. "Excuse me," he purred with a polite smile. "Can you give me the condition of Kudou Sayuki-san?"

The nurse smiled at him. "You were here yesterday weren't you?" she hummed. "It's nice to see companionship at your age."

He heard Taiki choke and held back a smirk. "You compliment me too highly."

"Ooh I doubt it," she chuckled before putting on a serious, pensive face. "Saiyuki-san is definitely not in the clear, but she's a lot better than a few hours ago. The blood flow is slowly returning to normal and the stitches are currently holding. She's not going into cardiac arrest either, a great relief to her son I'm sure."

"He'll be happy to hear that," Ryouma parroted as Taiki sighed in relief.

"You should also tell him she isn't waking up though," the woman commented worriedly. "And we aren't sure when she will either… We have an IV to inject nutrients into her body… but it's still wait and see."

"I think he'll be happy it's a little bit safer," Ryouma told her quietly, inwardly feeling panic rising up from a distance. Taiki just kept bouncing between emotions and the woman smiled at him again. Inwardly, Ryouma sighed. How was it so easy to say the right things around everyone else?

"You're a sweet boy…" Shoutmon suppressed a snort. "How is he? I'm sure Kudou-chan must be incredibly worried about her?"

"I'm… not sure," he told her, tilting his head slightly. "He hasn't said anything since he woke up in the hospital the first time."  _Not aloud anyway…_

The nurse frowned and nodded decisively. "That happens sometimes with severe trauma…" She went behind what had to be her desk and pulled out a notepad and a few pens. "Here, if he needs something, have him write it here. Don't worry we have plenty of them."

"Thank you ma'am," he told her sweetly. "He'll be very grateful. I'll go take this to him." Bowing, he quickly left.  _"Hopefully this will make things easier… Taiki-san?"_ The odd silence made him quicken his steps.

" _Get him out."_ The words were icy yet tinged with fear.  _"I don't want to see him."_

" _Don't want to see-?"_ He returned to the room to see a lanky man with black hair in the doorway. "Excuse me." He felt the rude words at the tip of his tongue and suppressed them, instead allowing green eyes to glower coldly at the back. The man turned to look at him and smiled. Ryouma held back a shudder. If this was what it felt like when he was being controlled,  _no wonder_  a good many people had been disturbed. But… he wasn't being controlled… he was just a strange person.  _Or crazy…_

"Oh," the man began gently. "You're Taiki-kun's friend. Nice to meet you. I guess you're the one he was waiting for. I just stopped by to see if he was okay. He'll be in good hands for now." Reluctantly Ryouma let him pass. "See you later Taiki-kun." Ryouma watched until the man was out the door, keeping one eye on Taiki's still form on the bed.

"Taiki-san?" he questioned quietly, entering the room and shutting the door. The former General looked pale, grey eyes unsettled. "Who was he?" Taiki didn't reply right away, taking the notepad without a word and setting it on the table. He drew his knees up to his chest and shook his head.

Finally he spoke shakily, fearfully.  _"He's a scientist. And he knows about the Digimon Hunt."_


	2. Chapter Two: Evolution

Chapter 2: Evolution

-"To be strong isn't always to have power. To be strong can sometimes mean to move forward despite having no power."-

Taiki's expression remained pensive for the next three hours as Shoutmon paced the room. He was either venting or thinking. With the red dragon, sometimes these things were hard to tell. Ryouma watched him, eyes swishing back and forth."So…" he finally began, scarf whipping around him as he moved. "Somebody like Wisemon… is aware of the Hunt." Receiving a nod, Shoutmon rolled his eyes. "We're screwed."

"So much faith you have," Ryouma commented, remaining at the side of the bed. Taiki's expression shifted a little, lips turning up.

Shoutmon snorted. "Judging by Taiki's face, there is no way the friendship power is gonna work." Ryouma raised a silver eyebrow and Taiki's eyes flickered with some small amusement. "So… what do we do?"

" _Leave,"_ Taiki replied firmly.  _"And soon. He's already seen you and me."_ The teen gestured at Ryouma, who winced. He wasn't going to forget those eyes anytime soon.  _"And for all I know has caught a glimpse of the others. But he can't be sure they're related. We definitely shouldn't give him the opportunity to find out until we have to."_

"Any idea who this man is?" Taiki didn't answer and Shoutmon nodded, backing off for now. Whatever the answer, either Taiki didn't want to believe it or wasn't entirely certain himself. Ryouma hesitated before smiling a little, laughing softly. The dragon raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Taiki-san really is amazing," was the light, loose reply. "Who would think a human could silence a king?"

Taiki smiled at this, relaxing and slumping his shoulders. Shoutmon snorted. " "You have no clue how many times he did that to me during the war against the Bugra army. Give him a chance, he'll inspire you to run into oblivion." Taiki flushed a bit before shaking his head. He just did what he had to do.

"If Taiki-san had to convince someone to do that, I'm not sure I want to imagine what it was like," surmised the boy, looking solemnly at his feet. Whenever you thought of the final battle, the idea of being with the Digimon was amazing. But when you thought of all it had taken to get there, whatever had happened, it was terrifying. Digimon had died after all. No one died into the hunt that hadn't already been gone. Sometimes, when he looked into the eyes of those heroes who had saved the world, he thought he could see the weight of those lives, though no more so than in Amano Yuu and Kudou Taiki. He wondered if Tagiru could see it or if he had even thought about it. "Has Tagiru ever asked about it?"

Shoutmon snorted. "Hah, no. You'd think, wanting to surpass Taiki and all, he would. Nah, he never asks."

" _I'm a little grateful he hasn't,"_ Taiki admitted, adjusting his body to sit up.  _"I don't know how to tell him. It… it wasn't pretty or fun or… well… you can ask Yuu. It was bloody and painful and I honestly think if we hadn't had each other, we would have lost. And everyone would… well… I'm not sure."_

The raw admission caused Ryouma to lower his head both in reverence and almost mourning for something intangible. Even if those Digimon had been beaten and friends had been brought back, there was no regaining the innocence and childlike freedom that had likely been crushed with finality during that time. "Taiki-san…" he began slowly after a moment. "If you could not tell Tagiru, your junior, something like that, why would you tell me?"

Taiki smiled.  _"You seem more… thoughtful."_

"In layman's terms you aren't stupid," Shoutmon supplied, ignoring his partner's exasperated bemusement.

Ryouma chuckled slightly. "I was raised that way. Good to know I'm not devoid of sense."  _Just barking useless._ He drove the thought from his brain, ignoring how much it sounded like his mother. The woman would be proud to have influenced him so wrongly. Taiki glanced at him from the side before looking away toward the door. Shoutmon disappeared into the Xros Loader as the nurse from the previous night entered, smiling lightly.

"You have new visitors Kudou-san," she announced. Ryouma rose to his feet solemnly as she departed to another room, teal gaze flickering with envy for a moment. Taiki's face brightened at the thought of his friends but he glanced at the other boy with confusion. Didn't he want to stay and join them?

"I should go," he said quietly, grinning with the same sort of admiration and disturbing depth he had not only been taught to do but excelled in. It was what he and Ren had privately dubbed the "kiss-up" grin, useful on all higher-ups and the most foolish of adults. "I need to go home for at least a few hours, get things ready. If you're staying, we probably need to get rid of the dust." _And there's only so long I can stand having blood on my pants..._

" _You don't-"_ Taiki began.

"You're right, but I will anyway." He gave a delicate wave with his fingers and left the room. "Be back later."

" _I…"_ Ryouma glanced back into the room to see Taiki's gaze directed downward, face gently flushed.  _"Thank you…"_

" _Taiki-san…"_ He turned back and smiled at him with genuine adoration.  _"You saved the world, led an army to recreate a country, made an idiot into a hero, and forgave me when by all rights you should have shot me where you stood. Stop acting like you're burdening me for simply trying to give you the care you probably need."_

Taiki stared at him in honest astonishment before laughing silently.  _"You and Akari should go into mothering careers. She is always telling me to take better care of myself."_

" _You're in a hospital bed. Forgive me if I don't see her point. Please excuse me. If you really want to leave, you have to heal."_ With a small bow, Ryouma went down the hallway, pausing to the see the group known as Xros Heart straggling together in front of the receptionist desk. "125," he informed the blond seventh-grader, Amano Yuu, as he passed, heading out the door with Taiki's Xros Loader in his left hand.

"That wasn't awkward at all," Shoutmon commented as soon as they were far away from the building.

"I don't think being accused of thievery will look good on my resume when my mother finally considers hiring me," commented the male, looking at his watch and heading west. It was only eleven. Good to know.

"What does your mom do?" Shoutmon had almost as much of a fascination with the human world as Wisemon, though for entirely different reasons. The two worlds were awfully alike after all.

"Runs a fashion design company apparently so famous and popular there are Westerners still sending fanmail," Ryouma replied with distaste. "Keeps her so far out of our lives the  _media_ knows her better." He had gotten into enough fights with her to make her scowl at the sight of his silver hair. And his heart medication was usually the cause of half of those arguments. He had learned quickly to get out of the room the second her car was down the street.

Shoutmon must have winced but he couldn't see it. "Touchy?"

"I don't think she and I have had a civil conversation since I was eight and that was likely because I was too busy keeping my sister from climbing the furniture." He smiled wistfully at the thought of the girl. "Shion's… my sister's strange."

"As weird as you?"

Ryouma raised an eyebrow. "You wound me in my soul Shoutmon, my pitch black soul." The snorts that met his ears were likely beastly, so from Dorulumon then, even as Shoutmon laughed. "She's very accepting of Digimon if it brings a comfort. However," he shrugged at the air, pulling a lock of hair back behind his ear. "If she wants to eat your soul, say no. Claim it's not innocent."

"…"

"Ren taught her that," he deadpanned, reaching his house and unlocking the door. "I'm home."

"Welcome home Onii-sama." The voice, almost eerily toneless, came from the top of the stairs. There sat a ten-year-old girl, auburn hair falling over her ears smoothly and shaping her pale, small face. She rested her head one on small hand, staring down at them with calm teal eyes of her own. She rose to her feet and leapt down the stairs three at a time, red skirt shifting gently. Reaching the bottom she pirouetted elegantly to curtsy. "Look," she commanded dully. "I've done it right."

"Just so," he told her and a tiny smiled graced her solemn lips.

"You've brought home new Digimon," she commented, watching him reload Shoutmon to land on the wooden floor. "Do I get to eat their souls?"

"No," Ryouma replied absently, looking around. "Anybody drop by?"

"The mailman," she replied swiftly, examining Shoutmon blankly. "Mum's not gonna be happy with you when she learns you're bringin' someone to play with."

"When is she pleased with anything I do?" he inquired rhetorically. "And don't spread it around. Bringing a boy home will get us both in trouble with her."

"Don' see or hear a thing related to adults," she replied promptly. "Are ya making dinner?"

"When I get back." Ryouma hurried up the stairs, ignoring Shoutmon's curious staring as he followed. These barbing conversations were so much a part of their life that teaching her proper emotional responses was like taking away his preferences. It was almost impossible. "Put your laundry out. If the police drop by let them wait in the living room."

"Did you commit murder," Shion asked almost slyly as she carried the basket past the walkway. Her teal eyes flickered with amused disdain. "Onii-sama I keep telling you nobody will understand when you show them a knife at exhibitions~"

"Shion, don't get your hopes up. My opportunities to massacre the populace have been shrinking by the day."

"Darn. Okaa-sama's reaction would have been a great family heirloom." His little sister disappeared from sight, leaving Shoutmon to stare.

"What just happened?"

Ryouma smirked. "You just witnessed family bonding."

"You have a weird family."

"Ren and Airu have told me the same thing." He shrugged off his jacket and threw it in the basket. There was a startled meow and a black cat skittered out of the basket in alarm, glaring at Ryouma. He chuckled at her. "You should have known better than to sleep there Koko." The cat hissed at him before looking at Shoutmon with distaste. "She won't scratch your eyes out," he informed the dragon. "Make yourself at home. I'll be back in a moment." Clutching a small pile of clothing, he left the room.

Shoutmon sat down on the bed, looking around the room with something like surprise. "Huh… it's so clean in here." If he didn't know otherwise, he wouldn't have thought a Hunter lived here. It was naturally clean but devoid of too many items attributed to a hunt. There was a keyboard sitting on the other side of the room, sheet music sitting on the stand. A scarf sat unfinished on the wooden table under the drawing of a Digimon… him?

"Onii-sama's very artistic," explained the unfettered voice of Shion, carrying a laundry basket of her own. She dropped it and emptied her brother's into it, smiling vacantly. "He prefers it to business. Drives Okaa-sama insane." She smirked a little and Shoutmon privately thought the expression was genetic. "We aren't the children she wants. Eh, c'est la vie." She returned to her dull expression, listening for the faucet to screech silent. "Onii-sama's taking a bath. Rare." She stood up. "Don't feel obligated to repay us or nothin'. Onii-sama's told me everythin'. You'd be welcome either way." She departed, leaving Shoutmon to wonder.

"Humans are insane," he decided, flopping back. Koko mewled, likely in agreement.

…

Ryouma exhaled into the water, bubbles forming by his mouth. He closed his eyes and threw himself under the scalding liquid, reveling in the burn on his skin. Eventually pulling his head back up, he heard a strange noise.  _"Taiki-san?"_

" _That was the strangest sensation for me to ever get,"_ announced the boy in his mind, voice slightly muffled.  _"What are you doing?"_

" _Bathing,"_ he replied promptly, laughing a little at the odd noise that reply gained. He was already used to this… or rather he had no choice but to be. It was an honor… and probably to Taiki a blessing.  _"Are you embarrassed? I'm going to steal Airu's line: kawaii ne."_

" _That was more information than I needed,"_ Xros Heart's General mumbled after a moment. Ryouma laughed lightly again, running conditioner into his hair.

" _So you aren't completely oblivious to this sort of thing."_ He frowned. "The water's cooling. Wonderful." He quickly finished, wiping himself dry and dressing once more. Ryouma sighed. His blazer was likely ruined. At least he had a jacket he could wear. He zipped the white and yellow object over his torso, dressing mechanically.  _"Am I missing anything?"_

" _My wounds are gone."_

Ryouma wished they could pass expressions through… whatever this was. Mind link? Heart connection? Something that most definitely was not normal in any case.  _"Taiki-san is turning into a superhero,"_ he quipped. Taiki must have scowled at that.

" _Don't say that. Tagiru would believe it."_

" _Then what's your explanation?"_

" _The Digital World enjoys using me as its chew toy?"_

" _That… did you just banter?"_ Ryouma raised an eyebrow as he left the bathroom. Shoutmon glanced at him with a half-closed eye, now perched on a chair. "Your partner is full of surprises," he told the Digimon, who just smirked.

"…  _I don't enjoy doing it but I know how."_

" _Have you considered the debate team?"_

" _Let Kiriha do that. I prefer diplomatics."_ Ryouma laughed aloud at this.

"At least you admit his ability at it. Anything else I should know?"

" _I can't talk to the others like this. It's like…"_ He could almost feel Taiki turning the problem over in his head.  _"They're right there but they aren't."_

"That makes as much sense as everything else that's happened in the past few hours," Shoutmon grumbled. Of course he could hear Taiki. It'd be a disgrace to him if he couldn't. Ryouma laughed again before a strange sound entered his ears. "What's up kid?"

"I heard…" The noise came again: slow, soft piano reverberating in his mind. "A song…"

" _Follow it."_ Taiki's terse order was met with surprisingly quick obedience, Ryouma racing to the window to listen again.  _"It's a DigiMelody."_

"DigiMelody huh…" He smiled a little, snatching both Xros Loaders from the desk. "That sounds interesting."

"You  _would_ say that." Shoutmon's comment was met with an amused smirk.

"And you wouldn't," the other deadpanned.

Shoutmon raised his hands in defense. "Ya got me." Ryouma listened again, the song suddenly bursting in crescendo.

"Sounds like we have a little bit of danger here," the silver-haired male mumbled. He left the room, leaving Shoutmon to shut his door. Koko yowled at them both. "Behave Koko," he told the fussed cat. "I might let Mother skin you." The cat understood this apparently, skulking off with a hiss. Ryouma frowned at the door. His shoes were missing.

"Your other shoes were a mess," Shion informed him, throwing a pair of tennis shoes at his head. He ducked narrowly, barely catching the pill bottle that headed his way. "Onii-sama don't leave that in the laundry either. I can hear the complaints now."

"Take after Mother why don't you?"

"That'd require Okaa-sama to be a mother," she snipped back at him as he tied his shoes. Ryouma snorted.

"Preach to the choir some more. We're off."

"No dying."

"No promises." He left, hearing his little sister dissolve into a rare giggling fit. "She enjoys banter too much."

"You don't?"

"Depends on the opponent." The sound crashed into his head and he maneuvered himself to grab the wall. "Ow…"

"Don't stand here kid! Move! It's getting that intense because it's in danger! Move yer ass!" Shoutmon moved himself forward and Ryouma reluctantly took the hint. "Stop looking around," commanded the dragon. "Use your heart not your body. Feel it!" The teen closed his eyes and listened, tilting his head was better than yells in his ears. The song began to intensify, growing louder and he nodded to himself. "That way," he said firmly, bolting off in a seemingly random direction.

"That's the way," Shoutmon approved, following. "We'll make a hero of you yet." Ryouma glanced at him then looked away speechless, cheeks turning a faint pink. He could never be a hero, not someone like him.

"Don't I need goggles for that?"

"Start a new fashion trend." Ryouma laughed shakily, a painful nervousness in his stomach. He whipped around and saw a white blur shoot towards him.

"What the-" The blur hit him hard in the stomach, remaining there and shaking. It looked up and pierced him with brilliant green eyes.

_-Like the Xros Loader that sat in its pouch, like Quartzmon's attacks on his heart and on the creature itself-_

"Help me culu!" it screamed desperately, the melody fading into its shouts

"Help…you?" he repeated slowly. The creature nodded.

"Help me culu! Evolve!"  _Evolve?_ The word sent a warm shiver through his body, like he was in an onsen.

"Come on now kid, just calm down," Shoutmon started; only to curse violently as an arrow of lightning went past his headphone. "What the hell?" A white bird-man dove into view, a screech coming from the golden bird on its left arm. At the sight of Shoutmon it paused. "Valkyrimon!" Shoutmon snapped, startled from his calm. "What the hell are you doing attacking a small Digimon like this?"

"Forgive me my liege but this does not concern you," replied the holy warrior curtly, turning to face Ryouma and the creature that was clinging to his jacket. "Human, hand me that creature."

"Why? He seems not to like you."

"That abomination escaped me. I intend to rectify the situation before it grows out of control." Valkyrimon swung towards the pair and Shoutmon raised his mic to block, forcing the taller Digimon to leap back. "As always my king's strength proves legendary. However, I see you without your human. Please do not test me my liege, and move aside!"

Shoutmon scoffed. "You think I got these scars from sitting on my ass? I got them from  _beating_ strong guys like you, from protecting people like that. So don't  _command_ me to do shit. You want a fight; you've got one right here!" And he moved forward.  _"Rock Soul!"_

Valkyrimon let out a sigh. "If that is what you desire my liege then I will fulfill my duty!  _Aurvandil's Arrow!_ " He pulled an arrow from his quiver and loaded it to the crossbow, releasing it with a burst of lightning towards… Ryouma? Shoutmon cursed and moved. Ryouma's eyes widened and he stepped back.

"Evolve culu!" The little creature squeaked again.

_How would I do that right now?_

Taiki jolted upright, staring out the window in surprise. Nene looked at him quizzically. "Taiki-kun, moving like that will likely tear your stitches." He turned to her and smiled sheepishly, scribbling an apology. He settled back again, staring solemnly out the window as a remembered voice floated to the surface.

-"Evolve. If you want the strength you need, evolve and take it!"-

_My body… at that time I wished… wished with all my heart that I could do something. Does that mean someone else… has done the same? It was probably… but what would cause that? The melody? Or what was attacking it?_

" _Taiki-san…"_  He shifted on the bed, trying to remember and at the same time, respond to the voice that had suddenly popped into his head. Taiki wasn't sure if he wanted to remember what had happened right now, what had caused this. So… again he let it go, stored the weakness away again. He knew it wasn't good to bottle things up but… what else could he do?

" _Ryouma? What is it?"_ Was it his imagination or did the other boy sound saddened by something?

" _What was it like… to kill a Digimon?"_

Taiki winced inwardly, turning his gaze to the others where Yuu was casually peeling an apple and Kiriha clicked indecipherable jargon onto his phone while his eyes watched Taiki like a hawk.  _"It hurt me more than them. No matter how much I needed to do it… I didn't enjoy it."_

" _Oh… good… so I don't have to… feel lonely after all…haha…"_

" _What's the matter?"_ He curled his hands into fists under the sheets, his left hand suddenly in a great deal of pain.

" _I… It burns…"_ The connection abruptly went silent, almost deathly silent.

" _Ryouma?"_ Taiki silently glowered at his lap. He couldn't just get up and leave. The others would say something. But… but… he had just made a new friend… and possibly condemned him and Shoutmon to die.

Some amazing hero he was.


	3. Faith

Chapter 3: Faith

-"Belief is the one thing humans always have, even when it's in nothing at all."-

Taiki scribbled patiently on the notepad. If he wasn't careful he would get a hand cramp and that would get even _more_ worried stares. He was having enough of those for one day, never mind He stretched and smiled, showing his message. "-You guys should go eat. It's been a few hours right?-"He had to get out of here, had to check on the other two. If they were gone…  _No they're fine; Shoutmon and the others can keep them out of danger…_ He had to believe in them and wait. There was nothing he could do. Whatever he had done before… he wasn't sure he could do again. At least not now.

"Taiki-san," Yuu gave him an exasperated smile, thumbing the click wheel of his Xros Loader casually. To them, keeping them was more habit than anything else. You could be attacked at any time after all. "Please stop worrying about us from the hospital bed." He allowed himself to examine the four of them, the Generals of Xros Heart and Blue Flare. He wondered if the others even knew about this incident yet. His sister wouldn't have if she hadn't been visiting him this week. Yuu didn't want to be the one to tell them; that was for sure. Akari-san had a scary right hook.

Taiki frowned before giving him the biggest doe-eye look he could manage in this seat. Usually he didn't have to do this… but gosh the others were so stubborn today! He smiled a bit inside though. He was grateful they were.

_No you aren't._

He ignored the voice. It laughed at him. Patiently, he forced a smile at Yuu, trying to keep up the mask for a little longer. "-I have to. I can't worry about Okaa-san.-"  _I can't leave and check on someone else… None of you can sense that... whatever that is. There is something wrong, he is likely nearby and I am stuck in a white bed._ He frowned to himself pensively, gently trying to figure out where Ryouma disappeared to. There was a soft sort of fog in the way, like an emotion he wasn't sure of. God being useless was horrible. He would never take a vacation if it made him feel this uncomfortable.  _Never._

"I'm quite sure she'd be happier if you focused on getting better yourself Taiki-kun," Nene elaborated. Taiki waved at her almost dismissively. He was perfectly healed, aside from this strange tiredness at the edge of his system.

"-I'm fine!-" Okay that wasn't true and he knew that. He was pretty sure  _she_ knew that too but Nene was one of those people who kept her mouth shut until she thought to say something. However, he knew better than to say anything other than the lie. If he fell apart now… he wouldn't be able to explain how or why or flat out  _anything_ because he couldn't talk anymore and humans were reliant on their ears. Not for lack of trying, the words simply wouldn't come. Every time he tried to say something, it died after leaving his brain.

Besides… he didn't think he even had the words to  _explain_  the deep, unfaltering pain that was running through his heart like a drum, haunting him. He didn't think there were words to describe the sensation of someone always leaving, of blood being etched into his fingers.  _Your fault._ Why did he always screw up when it really mattered? Why couldn't he just do something right and not have it magically blow up in his face five seconds later?

… Okay self-pity over. It really made him sound pathetic. He jerked himself from his gloomy thoughts, looking over at Nene with a quizzically innocent stare, trying to manipulate her with his eyes. She raised an eyebrow at him. Telepathy clearly wasn't working. That would be so much easier. This wasn't exactly much better. He really wondered how she could be so good at twisting a situation like that consciously.

Nene shook her head. "I'll believe that when I see it," she told him, adjusting her shirt. "Last time you said that, Gravimon's core was in your arm." He made a face before laughing sheepishly, but silently. Her calm melted slightly into concern. Taiki had always seemed so resilient… he hadn't even mourned for Shoutmon, not that he had had time. He had just thrown himself into saving his partner and beating Bugramon like it was nothing.

Now, after everything, he was silent as his mother struggled to stay alive. He smiled, frowned, still s _eemed_ like the older, mellow, Kudou Taiki with the biggest heart anyone knew, but she could see something behind his natural grey stare, an indescribable sensation of… nothing. Was Kudou Taiki even here at all? Or was this just a husk of a human that leaving alive seemed like a formality?

Taiki turned suddenly toward the closed door, relief filling his gaze like a water jug. Then it faded into a look like compassion and regret all in one. Someone knocked, causing Kiriha to peek open his eyes from the chair he sat on, blonde hair falling casually over his eyes as he sat up. "Come in," Yuu called encouragingly, believing it was finally Tagiru showing up. Somehow he had irritated his mother this morning and had likely snuck out by now. However, Taiki's posture, oddly tense, did not ease in the slightest, eyes narrowed and fingers tightly curled around his notebook rings.

The door inched open to reveal Mogami Ryouma, who stared rather blankly into the room. He shuffled inside, making his way to the stool. The movements he made were mechanical, unaware of his more crowded surroundings. Or perhaps he didn't care. A little white creature flew behind him with wide green eyes looking around with barely contained curiosity. Its flight pattern was oddly unstable, as though it were very tired. Sitting on the stool, Ryouma pulled the red Xros Loader from a pocket and placed it over Taiki's hands before putting his head down on the sheets. Taiki nodded slowly, reached out and patted the silver head gently. He scribbled something and showed it to him. The younger nodded once but they couldn't see his face.

Taiki silently prodded a question mark toward the boy before him, who didn't react outwardly more than with the tiniest of winces. Inwardly the wall remained, slowly falling apart like poorly positioned blocks. Then a soft, oddly strangled babble entered into Taiki's mind. It was a white cloud of words, floating aimlessly around until the incident began to fall in droplets of tears on sheets and flashes in his head.

_I can't forget like you…_

_The lightning was close, so close he could smell something burning…_

_What did he do? Was it because of Quartzmon? Was he going to die because he made a mistake?_

_"-That's always how people die.-"_

_No._

_One more chance. Please please, give me another chance…_

_Fires from the pits of hell; controlled by envy and desire and will…_

_I… It burns…_

_"What are you doing human?"_

_"…Evolving…"_

_Light the color of poison, of qi that had once been the color of bullets that had saved him, tore through concrete and struck the creature, the Valkyrie, razing its strong body into shreds. It was a holy warrior, powerful and beautiful… and it began to shriek. The world was babbling, voices of pain and sadness and so many other amethyst feelings that decided to burn… and burn… and burn…_

_"NO!" roared the voice as the King looked on. He too was lost. No one understood, not even him…_

_And then he did._

_"You're dying…"_

_The two words, a simple statement that lifted and broke his heart all at once, shattered the fog surrounding the majority of his brain. The boy could feel something now sparkling at his fingertips and tugging from a strange well deep inside him. It was hungry, thirsting for more, more and whispering gleefully in a voice that sounded just like-_

It cut off then with a rough jerk like someone pulling their head above water. Ryouma made a strangled gagging noise, his hand moving reflexively to cover his mouth as he coughed. He mentally floundered for a moment, thinking this was a spasm before guessing no, evidently whatever he had just done was  _not_  the best thing in the world and now he was getting the aftereffects. Realizing this, he slowly began to mentally calm down, having already become aware of Taiki's hand over his free one, gently reminding him he was still alive and he needed to focus on calming down. Panic attacks and break downs were not normal behavior for him. Then again the past two days had been anything but normal so… he hoped sniveling wouldn't turn commonplace. Ryouma felt a small stab of envy for Taiki's serenity before last night's events, the boy's tears, rose up in his mind again.

Never mind. He vowed to himself never to hero-worship again. It had gotten him in so much trouble… and created even more lies. He wasn't even sure if that had been a part of him.

_Who am I anymore…_

The odd thought caused Taiki to frown before removing his hand. Ryouma felt a tiny inch of sadness and confusion. This was way too much human affection and kindness for him at once. Though he had wiped his face and did look presentable now, a part of him wanted to crawl under the surgical table and die. The blood was gone…physically. His hands still felt sticky. He couldn't leave just yet however. But there were still so many people and he had enough questions for Taiki to fill an encyclopedia.

"Kudou-san," a doctor called from outside the room, removing his chance. "We need to give you a quick check-up. Please come with us."

Taiki grinned at them all now and held up the board. "-I need to go get checked out," he announced, stepping from the bed and cheerily walking out of the room. Five seconds later, Kiriha followed him out, looking amused and disgruntled all at once. He likely didn't trust Taiki to go with them. Neither of the siblings could blame him, what with how antsy Taiki seemed. Yuu and Nene watched the other boy, who still didn't speak or look up even. The odd Digimon that had followed looked around before landing on Ryouma's head and settling there.

"Culu~" it cooed happily at him, causing Ryouma to reach up and pat the creature's back. Slowly, the teal eyes found their way to rest on Yuu and a small smile curled up onto his face. Ryouma didn't seem aware of what he was doing. It was odd: the cold gaze was more profoundly eerie than when Quartzmon held his mind.

"Amano… Yuu-kun right?" he asked slowly. Yuu nodded and Ryouma bobbed his head a little. "And Amano Nene-san… Taiki-san said… if you had all been alone… you would have lost… was he right?"

The Amano both looked at each other, startled. Yuu looked at the eyes in front of him and suppressed a feeling of pity. They reminded him of his own eyes back then… desperate at the end, guilt-ridden and unsure of what to do. Xros Heart hadn't had much to do with each other these past few weeks since the final Hunt (or supposed final). They had lives they were each struggling to maintain after all. It was a miracle Nene had been here at all with Kiriha. No one was sure where that guy went.

But by extension, that meant they hadn't been around to repair what were obviously hurt and broken people. None of the Hunters, the new ones, were used to  _leaving_ their partners or really were aware of exactly what they had been doing until just now. Then again…. Nene frowned to herself. All of them, Generals included, they were just kids…

"I think that's true," Yuu admitted finally, yanking her from her thoughts. "I… If it hadn't been for the others… I know for a fact I wouldn't be here right now." He looked at Ryouma, locking eyes with him and the boy dipped his head in acknowledgement. This was so horribly awkward. They really didn't know these other Hunters enough. "Why are you asking this?"

"I…" He looked down at his hands. "I don't know… Perhaps…" He sighed weakly. "Perhaps I want to grasp these bonds you all have. I… I'm jealous of them." The words must have surprised him, for his eyes widened and he closed his mouth with a quiet snap. Yuu just stared. That was the most emotional thing they had heard the boy say…ever.

Nene breathed out slowly, a sense of relief dawning on her. She hadn't really spoken to this younger generation, and according to Yuu nobody actually did. For their leader, a slightly snobbish, calm person to admit a fault meant one thing to her: it was possible to connect with them. Inwardly she tried not to laugh. Taiki had infected them all into making friendship one of the most valuable things in their lives. She smiled a little. "It's a very confusing thing to have," she said slowly, causing him to look at her in a serene sort of puzzlement. "Because Taiki-kun is the one who brought us all together, it's rather difficult to bond without him."

"If I had met Tagiru without Taiki-san around I'm quite sure I would have killed him," Yuu commented cheerfully.

"Can't say I disagree," Ryouma commented thoughtfully. "It took a lot to stop Ren from doing so." He pondered the supposed top Hunter. "He's rather… exuberant isn't he?"

"Who's exuberant huh?" Ryouma almost twitched, thankfully avoiding the gesture as Tagiru forced himself in through the open window. The boy was grinning a little, likely not as much as normal. The fact that he was putting on a brave face was an admirable gesture. Tagiru looked around in confusion. "Where's Taiki-san? Did they have to go into surgery or something?"

"No actually," Kiriha's quiet remark made the boy jump. "This guy is perfectly healthy  _somehow_." He gave Taiki a look; one of those expressions Yuu gave Tagiru himself enough times to know it. The brunette looked slightly sheepish but gave no comment on his notebook. Ryouma looked slightly confused but shook his head. This must be what happened with friends.

It wasn't that Ren and Airu weren't close to him. But they had known each other for so long the idea of them being just friends was rather disturbing. He was relatively sure that if he asked Airu, she would very happily go with him to a place she hated normally and that if she asked him, he would go with her on a family trip, a very awkward endeavor. Ren walked into his house uninvited in the middle of the night and Ryouma had resigned himself to finding him asleep on his couch at odd hours. Likewise Ren usually found Ryouma at his balcony when his mother was home. They were quite close, just not as obvious about it.

He wondered what he had to be jealous of until Tagiru smiled brightly at him. How that guy could always do that was a mystery. He couldn't return it, his brain currently stuck on not breaking the calm forced on his face. This was already uncomfortable enough. Thankfully Tagiru broke up the awkwardness of the moment and grinned. "I can't believe that you found Taiki-san all messed up. How did that even happen?"

"I'd like to know the same actually," Kiriha added before Taiki could write a letter. "You can't tell me that you weren't paying attention." Ryouma raised an eyebrow. He hadn't said anything? To his friends? This… this was quite odd… wasn't it? Or maybe.…

_"I don't have to be strong do I?"_

Maybe it wasn't quite so strange. Ryouma hesitated before offering. "I honestly have no clue what happened in that building." He was an impressive liar he knew but there was enough truth in that to write a book. He had an idea of what transpired there but until Taiki could and would give him all the information, he wouldn't say a thing. "I was wandering the streets out of boredom and… I guess through luck I found Taiki-san." He didn't want to admit he had missed the sick and twisted game; the opportunity to do something without the judgment of someone who mattered.

He wasn't sure what he thought of the Hunt now. Digimon bled after all, and one had just died and he had no clue if that was supposed to even have any significance. After all this time Ryouma wanted to know what something  _meant._ Because it hadn't been a game like Ren had hoped, or a chance to shine like Tagiru wanted, it had been training, training because an old man wanted soldiers. And Xros Heart was their army, an army of broken geniuses.

Quartzmon couldn't have been all they were for.


	4. Chapter Four: Connection

Chapter 4: Connection

"Bonds are only powerful when they're known to exist at all."

Kiriha tipped his chair back onto its four legs. Nene twitched. She would get him out of that habit eventually. He didn't seem to realize that breaking his head open was not a good idea. He glanced at her calmly and smiled at her ever so slightly. No wait, he did it to annoy her. Ass. She returned it with a simple tilt of the head, following his gaze toward the door. She nodded faintly, watching her little brother argue with Tagiru. It warmed her heart to see him have friends, even if it was in these circumstances. Nene peered at Taiki, who was smiling at his juniors in that affectionate way that reminded her of her father, of his pride. She smiled a little. It was just like an older brother.

Her eyes rested back on Ryouma, who sat by Tagiru, watching the other two snap at each other with some amusement. He  _looked_ back to his former self, the self she had caught at a distance a few times. But that breakdown had been odd and as much as she wanted to comment on it… Nene found herself stricken with silence. No… it had been something in Taiki's position, in the way he had smiled and the way it seemed like he had  _spoken_ that had driven her voice away. And every time she considered asking, his eyes would rest gently on her and his head would tilt just enough that nobody else would notice.

No that wasn't completely true, Nene realized, following Kiriha's gaze to the younger children as Tagiru abruptly pulled Ryouma into the conversation. The boy blinked, smirked, and replied in turn, causing Tagiru's expression to contort with fake irritation. Kiriha was more aware than she was. Though he was always observant… when he wasn't on an ego trip. She gave him a smile and he pointedly looked away, cheeks turning slightly pink. Taiki must have seen this for he grinned lightly and wrote her a quick, cheery message.

"-Go spend some time together.-"

She really wanted to glare at him, because he was still stuck here for the night for safety sake and his mother wasn't much better off than she had been the night before. Did he really have the time or energy to be concerning himself with  _them_? He must have thought so. Nene moved to shake her head before pausing and nodding, rising to her feet with a grace that had been developed by way too many fights in one world and acting from morning until night in another. If Taiki was giving them a chance to talk behind his back, wasting it was likely a bad idea.

"Kiriha-kun," she started lightly, causing the older blonde to raise his head. "I think you and I should go pick up takeout. I think it's getting too late for any of us to cook." Yuu breathed a small sigh of relief at this, picking up on her silent cue before giving Tagiru a small knock on the head. Ryouma shook his head. He really hoped Ren and Airu never got that physical. Kiriha nodded imperceptibly and rose to his feet. "Taiki-kun, I order you  _not_  to leave the bed," Nene added from the doorway. Taiki grimaced and nodded. She did feel a little bad for him. Taiki was horrible with tense boredom. She knew him to twitch, pace, run, look around. Even a year later, he reminded her of a curious puppy.

Kiriha raised an eyebrow as he passed her before smirking a little. "Don't worry I'll beat your chair habit out of you next," she hummed, causing him to snort as they walked down the hallway. "So when you went with Taiki-kun, did you get any more out of him than Yuu and I got out of Mogami-kun there?"

"Almost nothing," Kiriha admitted, frowning irritably. "He just said the kid still felt guilty about what happened with Quartzmon." He shook his head and stopped walking, off the hospital property. Nene was grateful, since she had shorter legs. "He also said he didn't remember how he ended up like that." He scoffed. "I'm sure that's a lie. He's taking this situation a little too well, even for him."

"True," Nene agreed softly. "Taiki-kun… something is very, very wrong with him." Kiriha raised an eyebrow as she added. "I've always thought that deep down. He has never really opened up to you or me about anything that troubles him. Zenjirou-kun was the one who told me of the accident Taiki-kun could have stopped as a child. Other than that, and his own knack of picking up new things easily, Zenjirou-kun admits to knowing absolutely nothing about him. Akari-chan… she never talks about him or how they met."

"She always worries about him instead," Kiriha finished with a soft click of the tongue. "Don't we all? We should ask her, tonight if possible." Nene nodded as he sighed again. "You would think _Taiki_  of all people would be willing to talk about what bothers him."

"Oh, Taiki-kun has always been that way." The casual words were spoken by a stranger, a man with short black hair. He at first glance, appeared dressed like a doctor. But underneath the white coat was a suit that like his features was sharp and intimidating. He looked down at them both pointedly, dwarfing both teens by at least a foot and a fair amount of muscle. The man smiled, the expression reaching his eyes and twisting their light. "Even when he was little, he was always watching other people, thinking about them. He's a sweet boy." The last sentence oozed with the chill of dry ice.

…

" _Did something happen while I was gone that you aren't telling me?"_

" _Hmm?"_ Because that random thought was  _always_ how to start a conversation. Ryouma glanced at him from over Tagiru's hair, the louder teen chatting animatedly with his Xros Loader. He turned away from that with a pang of envy, glancing at Yuu and his odd looks. He was relatively certain that the only reason he wasn't being brutally interrogated was because of Tagiru and his tendency to jump down throats when he was passionate about something. (Which was almost always but he was going to leave that alone.) Ryouma wasn't quite certain  _when_ his personal wellbeing started mattering to the goggled boy but if it got him scot-free he was not going to complain. He gave Yuu a quizzical tilt of the head, waiting for Taiki's reply. This was not awkward, nope, not in the slightest.

" _I'm not sure why… but it feels like something happened. Yuu will not stop staring at you."_ His pensive expression was almost comical this time, even though Taiki was clearly being serious. The white creature landed delightedly on Ryouma's shoulder, cooing. Absently, he reached up and stroked its head. It instantly fell from its perch and into his lap, causing the boy to blink awkwardly. This Digimon disturbed him somewhat… but he was also very happy. It was a small comfort, though why it of all mons was with him nobody knew.

Ryouma couldn't help but twitch his lips into a smile.  _"I would never have pegged Taiki-san for the jealous type."_

" _J-Jealous?"_ The older boy struggled to keep his calm expression as Ryouma silently laughed at his expense.  _"Hardly... I'm just worried there was a large argument or something..."_

The silver-haired teen reclined against the bed almost lazily, stretching his limbs to look normal.  _"Don't worry Taiki-san, I didn't say anything, probably because I don't know anything." Never mind the brea kdown, I refuse to admit that…_

Guilt trip, successful. Taiki winced.  _"…I'm not much better off you know… but…"_

" _But?"_ Ryouma prodded as Taiki subtly returned his Xros Loader to his own hands. He was grasping more and more why Taiki wanted him to hold it... but it still would never feel comfortable in his hands.

" _But… we never resolved the problem of the Digital World and human world. Human digital energy is expanding from what Wisemon told me… and in turn that affects the Digital World… which created the Code Crown. Maybe… maybe that has something to do with it… though I don't believe anyone except Shoutmon's touched the Code Crown recently… unless…"_ His words trailed off into silent musing, leaving Ryouma to ponder his own thoughts.

It wasn't the mysteries of the universe but the supreme kick he wanted to give Fate in the stomach when this was over. At least Hunting had an instruction manual. This was just… confusing. He turned the incidents over in his mind. What they had done… was very similar to Digimon attacks. They had evolved, at least according to the creature in his arms… likely in the much more physical sense than those scientists meant. And then it had died if he recalled. The energy had burst around him with so much strength he had felt like he could walk over the ocean. Then it had plummeted and he had been surprised he hadn't passed out in the alley. Even now, Ryouma could still feel the effects wearing on possibly his sanity and  _definitely_ his energy. The fact that he was able to move disturbed him. Tagiru's sudden statement pulled him from his thoughts.

"Hey Ryouma what happened to your other outfit?" Ryouma blinked, surprised to be asked. He tugged reflexively at the white shirt collar, trying to get rid of any of the dirt.

"Had blood on it," he replied. "I did not want it to stain." Tagiru nodded slowly, wrinkling his nose. Yuu raised an eyebrow, causing the silver-haired boy to frown. "What?"

"Any advice for that?" the boy asked simply. He was grinning a little, a friendly sort of start.

Ryouma nodded. "Cold water, soap, and clean them on a rough surface. And pray."

"Pray?"

"Pray the washing machine will do the rest." Yuu stared blankly before Ryouma smirked, causing the blond to laugh. Tagiru laughed shakily with them. He wasn't sure he wanted to understand that exchange. Thankfully it eased the tension, as Yuu's shoulder's slumped. Ryouma glanced at his "rival" of sorts. What were they really? He would have to get that explained soon enough, if Tagiru had any idea himself. He coughed pointedly. "Has the Hunt gone well?" He spoke these words as noncommittally as he dared, avoiding their gazes and his own feelings. He specifically avoided looking at the goggles in Tagiru's hair.

Tagiru instantly beamed with pride, puffing out his chest like a bird. Taiki winced comically, smiling in what must have been sheepish exasperation. "It's been great." Then the younger boy frowned slowly, as if having to think about it. "Except I've caught people watching us."

"I thought you liked that," Yuu commented with a smirk, smiling at the expression on his now-friend's face.

Tagiru shook his head, rolling amber eyes derisively. "Not with the evil eye!" he retorted. "Every time I manage to hunt a digimon, somebody's glaring at me."

"People hate what they don't understand," Ryouma stated in an almost sympathetic tone, unsmiling and forcibly dispassionate. "It's not personal; don't take it to heart." Tagiru just stared as he added. "I know others who have experienced that. Now that the Digimon are truly public knowledge, I expect you shall see a lot more of it." He closed his eyes. "I can feel you staring at me," he deadpanned after a few moments of multiple eye sockets trained on his person. "What?"

"Well…" Was Tagiru fidgeting? Oh God help him. "That was... oddly nice of you."

Ryouma snorted. "I'm not exactly sure how."

" _The less you think about it, the better,"_  Taiki informed him with a tiny smile.  _"Be happy you comforted someone and don't worry about it."_

Ryouma raised an eyebrow as he looked Tagiru in the eyes again. "You are still staring."

"Yeah… what is that thing?" He pointed at the creature that was now zooming around the room like a trapped child's toy.

"Culumon," Ryouma replied swiftly, causing the creature to abruptly stop in the air and fall onto the silver boy's lap. He relaxed minutely as the creature cooed. It turned to wave at the other two boys, staring at them with the widest doe-eyes it could manage.

"Hello~"

Instantly Tagiru relaxed and beamed back. It was a Digimon. He could work with Digimon. "Aw… it's kinda cute." He reached out and patted the creature's head. Culumon beamed before pushing his hand away.

"Culumon thinks you're too close," the Digimon declared with a puff of his chest, imitating Tagiru. Ryouma covered his mouth to keep from choking as Taiki laughed sheepishly at the boy's expense. Tagiru gave the Digimon an odd look and humphed, not amused. Yuu laughed openly, shaking his head. He looked out the window worriedly.

"I hope Nee-san and Kiriha-san are okay…" As he spoke those words Taiki fidgeted, looking anxiously to get moving. Ryouma winced. Yuu moved to get up. "I'll go check on them."

"No I will," the silver-haired male offered quickly. "Someone needs to keep Taiki-san in the room and I doubt Tagiru will be a good influence."

Tagiru instantly flared. "You jerk! I am an awesome influence." Ryouma chuckled and tilted his head, making sure he looked as patronizing as he could. He almost felt like his old self, the self that had been…

-"He's useless to me now."-

-"A strong Hunter attracts strong Digimon."

His throat constricted and he struggled silently for a moment to get his words, his  _presence_ back. As calmly as he dared, Ryouma added. "Yes, towards reckless behavior. We want Taiki-san to _heal_ remember?"  _Never mind that you're fine,_ he added silently. Taiki smiled faintly at him.  _"I meant physically."_ The other boy winced and didn't reply. Ryouma knew that should have caused him guilt. But… right now he had to keep his senior occupied. Getting to his feet, he casually hid the Xros Loader and left the room, not giving them a chance to argue. Ryouma glanced out the window, instantly spotting the blond head of hair that was Kiriha-san. He nodded to himself before a third person arrived. The man looked up at him, locking eyes.

Ryouma wished he had less of a reputation so he could swear.

…

"Who are you?" Kiriha asked quietly, his rudeness only fueled by his anger. To just come and spout nonsense about his friend… even in this situation, was out of line. It wasn't just that. All that time in the Digital World had eventually taught the blonde how to identify assholes. And this guy reeked of that.

"Hajime. Karoku Hajime is who I am. It is a pleasure to meet you." The man bowed slightly before returning his gaze to them both. Nene shifted in discomfort. This guy… him needing help was an understatement. Reflexively, Kiriha shifted his position to cover her. It wasn't because he liked her, no way, just… Yuu would unleash hell on him if she got hurt, never mind everyone else. Yeah. That was it.

"I'm not so certain it's a pleasure for them." There was a sudden, soft click, rough like the twitch of metal. Ryouma stepped from behind a pillar, holding up a small handgun. His green eyes focused coolly on the larger man, clearly unconcerned that he could be ripped in two. "And I thought  _I_  could get fixated on something," the boy mused before his expression twisted with disgust. "Taiki-san doesn't want anything to do with you so I suggest you leave."

"And how would you know that?" the man inquired with only a small dose of curiosity.

"Possibly because of the look he had when you were here this morning. I've never known someone to look quite so angry at the sight of one person." He smiled amiably. "Does that answer your question?" Ryouma calmly lowered the small weapon, aiming toward the throat. "And if it does, will you leave? We're causing a problem."

"I am not the one holding the gun," Karoku commented. "Are you actually planning to shoot me?"

Ryouma paused, as if honestly thinking it over. "If the opportunity arises," he replied with a smooth smile. "I don't think the urge won't be exploited." He inwardly was quite frightened. He was pointing a gun at someone. Yesterday he would not have done this. Yesterday he wouldn't have killed someone at all. Then again… yesterday he couldn't have created a gun from nowhere or used purple fire. "I'm not planning to kill you though."

The man quirked an eyebrow and for some reason, some indefinable concept that Ryouma had a feeling was more to do with the past than the trigger he was itching to pull, Nene and Kiriha relaxed ever-so slightly. "Oh really now," Karoku demurred. "That's unusual for someone with an open target."

Ryouma flicked his hair out of his face with his free hand. "Ah well… you see Karoku-san," His smile turned gleefully murderous. "I have no motive. But I do know someone who appears to." He lowered the gun and stepped back…

As if there had been some cue in the span of those few seconds, fireballs rained from the sky, smoking as they grazed the man's clothes and sparked against the concrete. Taiki brushed past Ryouma, yanking the boy's wrist and pulling him into a run.  _"Come on,"_ the boy instructed quickly.  _"Before we make a scene."_

" _Oh and this isn't one?"_ he couldn't help but jab in amusement, resisting the urge to pull away from the elder teen's firm grip on his arm. Ryouma just couldn't do it; he'd probably trip anyway.

Taiki shook his head, running down streets toward somewhere only he seemed to grasp.  _"For all they know I just threw firecrackers. Now if you shot him…"_

" _I could lie and say it was self-defense…"_ He dropped the argument.  _"I understand that we're likely running for our lives but would you please tell me who that man is?"_

"…  _I can't talk about it."_

" _Does he have you under death threat?"_

" _No."_ Taiki stopped abruptly to look him dead in the eyes.  _"He has Kaa-san."_

…

Kiriha coughed as the smoke cleared, rubbing his eyes to the sound of loud, frigid applause. That odd man clapped on, smiling maniacally through the cloud. Or was it really maniacal? Maybe he was wrong… "Amazing Taiki-kun," Karoku called to no one, slowly lowering his hands to his sides. "Look what you've become in such a short time! It seems I can't underestimate either of you boys can I?" He looked down at Kiriha, down like he was no more than an ant. "It seems our discussion must be delayed. I look forward to working with you Aonuma Kiriha-kun, Amano Nene-kun." He strode away, the movement almost a swagger of satisfaction.

"Nee-san!" Yuu's voice cut through the smoke like knives, the younger boys rushing to their side to help them steady themselves. "Did you see?"

"We were rather preoccupied by the sudden fire in our faces," Kiriha commented. The other blonde rolled his eyes, almost comparing him with Tagiru for a moment. "What did  _you_  see?"

Tagiru was shaking with what had to be sheer delight. Nene didn't know him to shiver with fear. Then again, she didn't know the boy to be frightened. It was likely why Taiki got so exasperated with him most of the time. "Taiki-san shot fire!" The Hunter declared excitedly, the look on his face admiring and elated, one of the most deadly combinations. "I saw him! He-He leaned out the window and shot  _fire_! Then he jumped out the window and ran off with Ryouma! It was so cool!"

Yuu sighed, hiding his head in one hand for a second. "Only you would say that was cool…" Kiriha raised an eyebrow. He didn't know the new kid particularly well… was he prone to having hallucinations? Yuu glanced at him, guessing his thoughts. "Sadly he's telling the truth. Taiki-san walked right up to the window outside the room and fired at that man. If… If my eyes weren't mistaken… I think Taiki-san wasn't trying to kill him that time." The younger Amano frowned at his own choice of words. Was… was that what he meant to say?

"That time?" Nene muttered, shaking her head. "I've never known Taiki-kun to make death threats."

"I've never known Ryouma to aim a gun at a person," Tagiru added in a somber tone, one that set the mood more than anything else. "What the hell is going on?"

"Evolution culu~" Culumon trotted out happily toward them, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "The worlds are adapting cululu~" He glanced back at them with brilliant green orbs as he passed the gate. "And you're all in danger of being left behind."

Before anyone could speak, they were swarmed by hospital staff. Nene glanced at the starry sky, begging for patience.  _Just... what are we missing Taiki-kun?_


	5. Placement

Chapter 5: Placement

"Everyone is on a path but not everyone can make one."

Shion padded out of bed with a small yawn, brushing her auburn locks away from her eyes. Instantly Koko leaped to her side, mewing in her usual coarse, placid manner. "Morning Koko," she greeted dispassionately. She scratched behind the black ears gently. Shion was not an outwardly emotional kind of person most of the time. The girl never attempted to question why she was this way or whether it was strange or not. She had to help her brother keep the house clean, had to do well in school, and most importantly…

She reached the foot of the stairs to see their guest sleeping soundly, leaving her thought for the wind to wonder about. Shion hovered at the edge of the staircase, watching him. If he woke he would be hungry and she did not know what to make. "Onii-sama's found something cool huh?" Koko hissed, causing the casual smile the girl wore to dip a bit. "I thought this was that  _one_ human."

Her cat hissed again, the sound shifting to human speech. "It is," Koko stated coolly, golden eyes flickering with irritation. "But his scent has changed. Like your brother's. I don't quite understand it." She glanced at the human beside her. "Perhaps if you would… let me take a look at him… I could find out." Koko let out a quiet purr as she thought of the idea.

"Onii-sama is the authority on this subject BlackTailmon," Shion stated flatly, rising to her bare feet and leaving the stairs. Koko gave an irritable meow and padded after her, her eyes returning to a normal golden color. "He will inform me if it is all right."  _It is unlikely that he will..._

"Very well," the cat muttered. "But do not blame me when he sets fire to that couch." She leaped away, swishing her tail in a sulk. Shion's smile twitched and she went the other way, passing by the sleeping male. A hand shot out from there, gently closing around her wrist. Taiki smiled at her quietly. His hand was incredibly warm and she winced, keeping herself from reacting.

"Sleep well?" The teen nodded once before gesturing up at the ceiling. Shion sighed. "Check Onii-sama then?" Another nod and Shion frowned. "You know sir, for someone so silent you are quite good at sending me your intentions without words." Taiki stared at her before reaching over with one hand and scrawling a message. Shion chuckled. "It's not the first time hm?" The ten-year-old sighed. "With people like you it never is. You seem to handle it very well however." Taiki blinked at her before releasing her hand, quietly sinking back under the sheets. Shion watched his eyes, the grey irises shining with not pity, but a strange, profound respect.

The auburn-haired girl back upstairs and Taiki turned over. His eyes darkened and he frowned to himself.

_She's right… I am… handling this pretty well… I wonder why…_

" _This is our little secret."_

Taiki shook his head to himself.  _Yeah… that's why… I'm not actually handling this well at all. Actually…_ He began to tremble, shivering under the sheet.  _I'm really… really scared… I…_

" _I don't think Taiki-san has to be strong right now."_

" _Stop acting like you're burdening me for simply trying to give you the care you probably need."_

The former gogglehead smiled.  _I wonder if he realizes how much that means to me… to hear from someone else. I wonder if it's okay to be weak now…_

Shion screamed as he thought that and Taiki instantly jolted from his reverie.

"Onii-sama!"

Taiki winced.  _And apparently it's not. This doesn't sound good._ The brunette moved to sit up before pain racked his whole body numb.  _Damn… well… whatever is happening now, you're on your own… sorry…_

Meanwhile the black presence coiling inside his heart crept forward, swallowing him into cold, guilt-ridden darkness.

…

Burning. For the second time in two days he felt like his body was on ... this time was a little bit different. Ryouma grit his teeth and tried to pull himself back onto the bed. Violet-black fire burst from the skin of his hand and he decided against it, returning to his curled up position on the floor. It didn't stop the agony, but the small flames ebbed, avoiding the floor. A part of him, one distanced from the events, wondered why his house wasn't burning. The rest of him couldn't find the energy to care.

He heard a scream from his doorway and winced. Shion. He had worried her. Not good, definitely not…kkh. "Ah…" He wanted to reassure her, calm her down. After all, he was…

" _You've got a lot of work to do if you want to be under my wing someday. Start with your sister."_

_Okaa-sama… that was cruel. For you that was cruel._

At the thought, he hissed, odd noises reaching his ears like bones popping and skin tearing. Out, he realized. He needed her to get out of here. Whatever was going to happen, he couldn't let her see, couldn't let her get hurt. "Reh…" He coughed. "Call Ren…" She jumped and stared at him like he was crazy. Poor Shion. She was ten, emotionally dysfunctional, but still ten and unable to process her brother burning alive. "Call Ren…" Ryouma repeated weakly. "Wait for him, keep everyone else out… Hurry Shion." He felt his head loll and hit the wood, a minor ache compared to a sudden rush of energy through his bloodstream.

 _What's happening?_ He didn't hear her go over the sound of a cold, clear laugh.

"Oh don't you look  _delightful_." Ryouma glared up at a familiar set of eyes, one that sent chills through his nightmares.

"Quartzmon," he muttered foully, wishing he had the energy to stand up and set this creature on fire instead of his own skin.

"Charmed to see you too."

…

Shion's movements down the stairs was quick, frantic, the physical body language the only insight into the panic running through her veins. Another  _bad thing_ , another  _bad thing_  was happening today. It seemed like their lives were full of  _bad things_. She had begun calling them that as a child when her mother had said it over and over far from the phone's microphone. Regardless she had heard and told her brother so. Even now she was not aware of why Onii-sama had been so angry or what he had been angry about.

Now a part of her feared that she would never get to ask.

He had been  _on fire._ Her brother's skin had been literally smoking and purple fires burst at every movement only to fade away. His skin hadn't melted, merely sizzled and burned like twigs. Her heart pounded in her chest at the expression, the raw agony that she knew no water could soothe. So she did as she was told, dialing Ren's number at the phone. Shion did not tap her foot or bite her lip. Those were not gestures she used. Instead she stood stock-still by the phone's cradle, waiting with the trademark stoicism that her mother had unconsciously trained her into and her brother broke like a piece of fine china.

Time sped and slowed like a broken film reel. She glanced without thinking at the teen under the sheet. Taiki was eerily still now, like the dead. When she had woken up once in a while as she did, Shion caught him shifting a few times, heard the rustling of a sheet against sofa fabric. He hadn't explained why he slept there but perhaps for the sound. Since he could not make it, it was nice to know it still existed. Did he die? Shion felt her chest throb at the thought. Since something had happened to Onii-sama and he somehow knew, could that something have happened to him too?

Finally, there was a quiet breath by the receiver. "Shion."

…

It was a statement, never a question.

Ren preferred that when it came to his second and third family. It was better to just state things flatout, good, bad, or troublesome. When it was Airu, it tended to be troublesome. Ryouma made it vary. When little Shion called however, it was nine times out of ten bad and eleven times out of twelve troublesome.

Ren despised troublesome things.

And this was particularly high on both counts. The girl's voice trembled, so faint that even if you had the ears of a canine, you would miss it. Shion didn't falter or hesitate even when she knew she was on the crash course to hell without a helmet. She was one of those independent girls who planned to kick ass and damn consequences before the age of sixteen. So if she was scared, upset, or angry, Ren's instincts kicked in like a wolf's pack mentality. You didn't mess with his sister. You didn't mess with his surrogate family  _period._ The fact that he and Taiki shared the same mindset on that matter did not go unnoticed and he was quite sure that unspoken knowledge was the only thing between he and Tagiru having a fist fight.

"Onii-sama's sick," she had said, forcing an even tone.

"And you're not at the hospital."

"He's on fire Ren-nii. Literally on fire."

"…Are you sure you're not imagining things?"

"Flames burst on his hand Ren-nii. Black and purple flames. Kudou-san told me to check on him." Lying was never her strong suit. He grabbed his hat and Xros Loader, scowling at the air..

 _What. The. Fuck. Have you gotten yourself into now? With that damn Legendary Hero in it too…_ "Two minutes." The phone clicked and he was out the door, thankfully already dressed. He texted Airu; ordering her to detangle herself from her family's attempts at bonding (because they were too peppy for that to ever work) and get her ass down here. Her response was quick and grateful and he nodded at the device. Like it or not, the blond semi-airhead was reliable. He stopped outside Ryouma's house, the sight of a familiar blue T-shirt catching his eye.  _Shit._

Ren dialed Shion. "Is your back door unlocked? Thanks." He hurried inside, toying off his shoes. Shion wasn't waiting for him at the door; she was knelt by a form on a couch. It wasn't her brother but Kudou Taiki instead. He edged closer, noting how carefully she was pulling the sheet from his body. Away from her brother, the girl had collected herself. Good thing too because whatever was happening to the great general was disgusting. Sweat turned the unconscious teen's skin translucent and blood trickled from his arms, turning the appendages sticky and scarlet. It looked like his pores were rebelling. His face twisted with some ghostly suffering.

"Upstairs." She nodded, carefully trying to clean off the sudden wounds with a sponge.

Ren went to the kitchen, grabbing the first aid kit without thinking. He now had an idea of why she hadn't called an ambulance. It would attract attention and these weren't normal symptoms, at least not ones obtainable from the area. He wasn't even sure these were curable. Ren went upstairs and in the room. With his spare hand he covered his nose.

It took a lot to disgust him. Ren had seen things in hospitals that would make normal men cringe. However this was just horrible.

His best friend was being constantly licked by what at first glance looked like violet fire, like a slow roast. The air smelled like cooking meat and sickly sweet blood. Looking again, he saw it was energy, rather similar to a certain Digimon's  _Maverick_ attack. The energy danced and jumped at his touch, surprisingly not harming him in the slightest. "Is this some kind of punishment or something?" he asked no one as he went to get a bucket. "If so, that's really not cool. He just wanted to be free. What's wrong with that?"

There was silence on the outside yet on the inside there was a quiet laugh. It was cold and bitter.

This really  _was_  troublesome.

…

Shoutmon waited for the other boy to leave the room before exiting the closet he had been standing in. This had been one of the most awkward things Taiki had ever asked him to do,  _including_ that stint with Karatenmon. In the end though, it had likely been for the best. The kid looked like shit. Not that Taiki was probably much better. Taiki had wanted him up here so that weird scientist dude didn't try anything. However Wisemon had an entirely different reason. He thought back…

" _You seriously think I'll let you dissect him now?" he had asked the night before, watching the cat stalk away from them. That cat wasn't normal. "Wisemon we don't have time for that."_

" _Not dissect," had been the scientist's reply. "Investigate. It will be non-invasive and thorough. Something tells me those human doctors don't have the ability to understand what went on today. I however am quite curious. Besides there might be aftereffects… and those are_ very  _important to keep an eye out for."_

_The king had made a quiet tch of annoyance but didn't disagree, following the demon man. One of the orbs floating over his head began to run silently over Taiki's sleeping body, lines of indecipherable code passing over Wisemon's unseen face. The other disappeared up the stairs. Neither boy had been energetic enough to debate guest rights and manners. For a few moments the Digimon sat in silence. Shoutmon glanced up, looking where a pair of golden eyes gleamed at them from the kitchen._

" _So," he drawled, trying to make casual conversation. "What's got you stuck here?"_

_Koko mewed mockingly before growing before their very eyes. The black cat soon stood on her back paws, her front ones covered in purple gloves. She shrugged, looking apathetic. "Got offered a deal, couldn't back out. You?"_

" _Sounds rough," Shoutmon commented lightly before looking down at Taiki's exhausted visage. "My best friend and all his unsolved shit."_

_She gave a sympathetic wince. "Humans have a lot of that."_

_The red dragon shook his head. "This one made you think you didn't."_

_The BlackTailmon laughed. "There's a reason he's called a hero."_

" _Let us hope he can continue to be called one," Wisemon intoned casually, his two orbs floating back over to around his head. "Both of them… Digital Power is fluctuating inside their bodies, as though the outside increasing energy of the human world was tampering with it. It could be compared to the events that destroyed the Code Crown, except on a much smaller scale."_

" _Pardon me being an uneducated dolt," BlackTailmon drawled as Shoutmon winced. "But what the hell does that have to do with much of anything?"_

_Wisemon smiled behind his hood. "Simply, humans possess their own kind of Digital Power. Otherwise, why would Digimon hunt after their hearts? However, my analysis states that both types are present in their bodies… and they're clashing."_

" _So… the fire?" Shoutmon assumed. "The gun… the qi… all of those things from the past couple of days… are from the clashes."_

" _I believe it's more likely that the Digital Power is revealing itself through that, which is why it's flowing so naturally. It's simply trying to establish itself. No the clash is being shown by the fatigue that caused them both to nearly collapse here. The human energy is resisting the usage of the new power and the two are fighting." The Digimon thought for a moment. "They need to balance the energy inside them soon or it will likely kill them both from the inside out."_

" _How the hell did it even get there though?" Shoutmon snarled quietly._

_Wisemon shrugged. "I would need assistance to find the answer to that question. For now we ought to definitely keep them under observation. My hypothesis is that the energy will work its way back up over the next few hours and we'll see the end of this."_

_Shoutmon winced but nodded. It wouldn't be his first all-nighter. "This is complete bullshit," he muttered._

_BlackTailmon couldn't help a chortle. "You're working with humans. They tend to make that."_

He hadn't laughed then and sure as hell wasn't planning on doing so now. He flopped on the bed as Ren returned to the room. To his credit, the hat-wearing teen didn't look surprised to see him. "Well, where one goes the other follows," the male commented. "What a pain in the ass." He put the bucket down, picked up the cloth inside it, and began trying to uncurl his friend from the position he was in. Ryouma was like stone however, green eyes blank and unresponsive to a single touch, each of which sending steam from his skin. "You could help," he snapped.

Shoutmon shook his head. "Kid, none of us can do much of anything. This is something they've got to figure out for themselves." He sighed as Ren's glare deepened.

The boy put the cloth down and stalked up to Shoutmon. He did not normally do this but his respect was dropping a couple inches with the so-called King's resignation. "You're content with being helpless then?"

The red dragon snorted and leapt off the bed. "Kid, you don't know helpless." He looked at the motionless form on the floor and sighed. "Helpless is being stuck between life and death while your village burns." His voice never wavered, but Shoutmon didn't look over at Ren either. "Helpless is watching your friends' home being blown to pieces because of your own weakness. Helpless is your comrades dying around you while another breaks down slowly and you can't say shit to fix what's been broke."

He gave Ren a calm appraisal. "Don't tell me shit about being helpless kid. This ain't helplessness. This is  _faith_. It's something you gotta have, especially as a king. If your partner ain't strong now, have faith he will be and he just might, even if you gotta help him get up there. If some blockhead has done something stupid and hurt you, believe if he tries to change his ways that he eventually, even if it takes a couple lifetimes, will do it. If someone's suffering and they need you, believe they'll call out to you eventually. And… most importantly…" He gave Ryouma a nod from where he stood. "When it's somebody struggling to stand on their own two feet after falling down, you hold out a hand and wait for them to catch it, believe they'll pull themselves up."

He grinned sheepishly. "It's cheesy I know. But ya see… everybody's got a path they walk on. Believin' that you can make one no matter what… that's what got me to be the badass I am. So trust your buddy man. He's a comrade. And besides…" Shoutmon flopped to the floor. "He and Taiki are doin this to themselves anyway."

Ren snapped slowly from the reverie Shoutmon's speech had put him in. "What do you mean?"

"Well if you think you've done something wrong wouldn't you want to be punished for it, even if you gotta do it?"


	6. Empathy

Chapter 6: Empathy

"What people seek the most isn't a listening ear but an outstretched hand."

Tagiru let out a tsk of irritation. It was too hot for this. Why did they have to go find Taiki-san and Ryouma? They wouldn't be out here. He wouldn't even want to  _Hunt_ in this weather. Not that there was any reason to do that here anyway. He was getting enough dirty looks from the passerby as it was. Or maybe that was because of Gumdramon trailing after him. He could believe that… he supposed. "Thought saving the world made you awesome…" Yuu, who was lagging behind for some intellectual reason Tagiru didn't really want to know about, let out a quiet chuckle. "How is that funny?"

"Because they don't  _know_  you saved the world," the blonde replied with a slight shake of the head. "They probably don't even remember  _us_ saving the world. All they probably know about Digimon is that they cause a lot of property damage and nearly killed them all. They probably don't even know what they are."

Gumdramon huffed. "Well that's  _stupid."_ They looked at the tiny blue dragon, which was shaking his head in annoyance. "The big Xros War wasn't exactly good to the Digital World either but we didn't go around grumbling about humans all the time."

"There isn't exactly much to complain about," Yuu remarked casually. "We're a bunch of weak power sources on legs. Granted, as Hunters we've caused a lot of damage too…" He sighed. "Lots of people are afraid of what they don't understand."

Tagiru thought about this as they walked. "Still a pain in the ass," he decided.

"There is an upside," Yuu commented with a sour smile. "You didn't have to wait over a year to see your partner again." He let Tagiru think on that, swearing he caught a glance of blonde hair in the distance. As he passed Tagiru, the other boy let out a whine.

"Yuu… that hit my  _innocence_." His good friend snorted.

"Probably why you should get rid of it… Airu!" He was right; it was the trap master herself, dressed in varying shades of pink and looking slightly untidy as she hurried down the street. Her eyes didn't slide towards him right away, having been focused unsteadily on her cell phone. Then she looked and frowned. Not even pleased to see  _Yuu…_ well, the crazy Tsundere was prone being weird for the sake of being weird, at least to Tagiru anyway. Maybe it was because he was here… heh, maybe giving the couple some alone time wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Oblivious to Tagiru's thoughts, Airu went to face them, scowling and crossing her pink tank-topped arms over her chest at the sight of Tagiru. "Hey." The greeting didn't just sound annoyed;it _radiated_  displeasure.

"What, wake up on the  _right_ side of the bed this morning?" Tagiru commented lightly, causing her to glare with all the strength her tiny body could throw at him before looking away, fingers twitching in one pocket. Evidently, today was not the day for jokes. Yuu sighed before narrowing his eyes. Airu seemed incredibly interested in her phone. He almost commented on it, but decided to hold off until she looked a little less murderous.

Meanwhile, Airu was fuming. Ren  _owed_ her so much. It would take more than a sweets bribe this time! How  _dare_  he ask her to buy time and not tell her what was wrong with their friend? Especially with this goggleheaded moron on the loose. A sudden text made her phone beep and, disregarding social norms, she flipped it open.

Ren:  _Shion's headed your way. Make sure no one gets killed._

Airu winced. Ren was right: Shion was more of a loose cannon than the idiot in blue. Now, she herself was no conscious genius. Sure, when she put effort in it was different, but Airu kept the blond stereotype for a reason. However, you didn't stick with the other two and not have more than a few dollops of pragmatism. She glanced behind her to see the little auburn girl walking slowly outside toward them, black cat trailing at her heels. She forced one of her less fake smiles. "Hey Shion." The fear escaped her lips and she winced, watching the other two boys glance curiously at the small child. "How is everything?"

She earned a cursory glance for her efforts, green eyes identical to her teammate's glittering with suppressed emotion. "There's nothing else I can do so I simply came outside." Airu's eyebrow quirked and she let her pink gaze trail to the girl's right hand. In it was clutched something all four of them recognized: a lotus purple Xros Loader.

Shion looked at Tagiru and Yuu warily, mouth set in a thin line. "Do you know what's wrong with my Onii-sama?"

If they did, she would raise hell and Airu did not want to be the person to stop it.

* * *

"…That's bullshit."

Ren's expression twisted slowly with anger, not toward Shoutmon, but toward the unconscious statue on the floor. "People don't  _want_ to be punished. They just want to move on. As always there's something wrong with your head dumbass." The last sentence held no venom in it; rather a quiet sort of dismay entered his voice instead. "God Ryouma… where is your common sense? All these years… I still, still don't get it."

He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling Shoutmon's eyes rest on him casually before the Digimon sat down. "I think we should start a club," the red dragon told him conversationally. "People with Weird Friends. You interested?"

Ren snorted. "Sure. What the hell?" He fell silent, still in deep thought as Shion shut the front door with a painful slam. He winced through his teeth, watching her tiny form walk towards the three out the window. "Shit."

"What," Shoutmon asked boredly, following his gaze. "Ah, little weirdo sister." Then the King frowned. "Oh shit. She's powerful isn't she." The statement of the question made Ren's respect rise a little more. The Digimon didn't sound scared

Ren's ruby red eyes glimmered. "Powerful is like a level. She's more like one of those nuclear reactors whose gauge is about two steps from boom." He shook his head. "Shion's always been that way. I can't blame her: having the weird situation they do and all. She's always tried to be strong, but never been all that good at doing it right." The male flopped back. "It's scary sometimes… watching her with all that power."

"Don't tell me you're jealous," Shoutmon muttered derisively, watching Ren type on his cell phone.

Ren pulled his hat from his head and carried it close to his chest, blue hair falling loose from its hold. "Never in a million years man. Never in a million years. Power's scary. I like having fun and collecting Digimon in fights… but I don't like power." He shrugged loosely. "I'm not like the dumbass, or Ryouma, or you Xros Heart guys even. I don't have much worth fighting for and quite frankly most of the time they've got themselves covered. I'm not like Ryouma at all. He  _has_ to be strong. He has to be that steady guy you know has your back, even when he fucks up. He can't just up and say: Oh, I'm done. Leave me alone cause the second he tries he'll get stabbed. He can't just up and let well alone cause we all know if he did, Shion would have up and lost her damn mind."

The teen sat up and looked at the open door. "That's what makes these two dolts alike I guess. I'd call Tagiru too but… you don't seem to believe that do you Shoutmon?" Shoutmon glanced up at his name and chuckled slowly.

"Yeah, you got me." The red dragon scratched at a scar. "Gumdramon and Tagiru… they're a good team, a great team that when it counts they can pull some crazy shit off just like we could… but they don't have the  _heart_ that makes up Xros Heart, not yet. They've had it easy, good and easy. They've never seen war. I don't want them to but…"

Ren rolled to the side. "But what? Are you guys going to tackle our turf by accident?"

Shoutmon shrugged. "I don't think humans on our side are particularly  _common_. It wouldn't surprise me if they were actually looking for ways right now to do it to us. Someone is already onto us as it is. Besides, Digimon don't like this place either, or at least a fair few of them. They think the Zones were the  _good_ times." He snorted. "Traditionalists." The blue-haired teen stared at the dragon before letting out a sigh.

"You are really making me dislike being like you guys even more," Ren told him, earning a smile.

Shoutmon leaped down, heading slowly toward the balcony. "You'd be surprised how much good you would do with it." He yawned. "God I need more patience. Wisemon could have spared me the tension and freaking out."

"You're taking this damn well to me."

The King shrugged. "So are you. Now, instead of getting my cabin fever, go and grab that creepy girl. I don't want to be the one to explain to Ryouma that his little sister went on a murder spree without him."

Ren scowled playfully. "Never. Command me. Again." He left the room, leaving Shoutmon to mockingly derisive laughter. Neither of them noticed the statue's hand twitch.

* * *

Quartzmon was either alive again or he had gotten hold of some powerful drugs. At the moment, Ryouma wished it were the latter as six eyes twisted in their sockets to stare at him. He felt ill, undeniably close to vomiting and passing out right after. Well… maybe just the first one, the second part apparently had just happened.

Ryouma wasn't one for blackouts. His heart couldn't take them or anything that fell under the level of extreme adrenaline. He was taught to be cautious, calm, never to overdo the limitations his frail body had. Of course he listened most of the time but there were some circumstances that were simply unavoidable. This had to be one to them.

"Any particular reason we're floating in darkness? Are you trying to be morbid?" He tried his very hardest to sneer each word and Quartzmon waved one of his many arms restlessly.

"First, get up. Pawn you may be, don't lie on the ground like a broken one." Ryouma raised an eyebrow slowly before checking that yes, the pain was gone and he could move his limbs. Instead of standing, he maneuvered himself into a sitting position. He didn't particularly care about the symbolism of looking up at Quartzmon. It wouldn't be the first time.

"At least pawns have a purpose. What about you?" He asked this with a scowl, glancing around the blank space. He didn't see Taiki-san. Thank god. He wouldn't be torturing him in this mess. Idly he picked at his shirt, trying to brush away the ashes that had settled on the now nearly-destroyed fabric. It could be worse, he reflected. He could be facing down the embodiment of all- okay he needed to shut up now.

Ren was right.  _Everything_ troublesome landed on his doorstep, even by accident.

The snort that reached his ears was about as interested in his thoughts as a wall was in who crashed into it. "Are your thoughts normally this scattered?"

"Weren't you in my head?" he couldn't help but shoot back. "Don't you have answers to your questions?" Ryouma twitched slightly. He didn't have to pretend his decorum here, he realized. He could speak his heart and it wouldn't do anything but hit who it deserved.

Quartzmon almost appeared to scoff. "Are you directing these barbs at me or cursing your own weakness?" Ryouma raised an eyebrow before shrugging slowly.

"Maa, you ask all the odd questions," he sighed after a moment. "How would I know something like that?"

Quartzmon chuckled coolly. "Apparently you are not one for self-reflection then."

The boy scoffed. "Oh no I am. It's just that you have the form of something that I find completely disgusting, even if you hadn't been in my mind for half a year."

The Digimon shrugged. "I suppose you have a point. However, at the moment none of this is relevant. I'm here to tell you something rather important. Right now, you're dying and because I happen to have placed a part of myself to manipulate your consciousness I happened to notice."

No matter how much this chilled him, Ryouma forced a straight face. "Is this out of the goodness of your own heart perhaps?"

The gesture he gained in return was dismissive. "Call it a symbiotic relationship. I could always use you later and you would always enjoy power again."

"Cute," Ryouma deadpanned, pulling himself to his feet. "Forgive me for not believing you."

"Then let that hero of yours die."

It was the dismissive tone he said it with, less than the news itself, which caused the silver teen to look up. His emerald eyes practically scorched the air where the monster hovered, fury and fear equal matches in them. "What do you mean?"

Did the damned thing look smug? He wouldn't put it past him. "Your heart is filled with guilt; from what you did to him, to how much you harmed this world, to the Digimon you've hurt over that hunt for me. You feel guilty for hating your mother, for failing your sister, for burdening your friends. They are, for you humans anyway, quite natural."

"Take those feelings and multiply them by one hundred, adding in the war all that time ago, the lives that were lost without awareness, the influence on another child's mind, my creation, and likely a whole host of other things neither of us could be aware of. That, although probably not entirely natural, rests on your hero's mind."

Quartzmon looked out into the featureless space. "For humans this is crippling, but slowly worked through. For Digimon, from your knowledge and what I have gleaned from the data of others, it is much the same only with a larger flare and strength. However, in you two, due to some strange energy imbalance likely caused by various events prior to DigiQuartz, it is killing you."

"And how are you so certain it's before DigiQuartz?" he challenged.

Ryouma earned a snort for his question. "Because I don't know about it. I know quite a bit of that final battle however the specifics are something neither you nor I can grasp. At the moment, as I said,  _it is not important to know why._ " Ryouma winced, holding back words. That tone implied so many insane things that an asylum would be confused. "At the moment, your human energy is responding to your emotions and clashing with the Digital Power that shouldn't even be there. Since it's not going away, I believe you're simply going to have to accept it. Otherwise, well, your body will likely shut itself down."

"You know how to stop it I suppose."

Quartzmon's six eyes looked calmly at him. "Stop being suicidal. You can't protect him if you're dead, no matter how much your head believes that would work." And with those enigmatic words, the Digimon disappeared, leaving his former partner alone and in the darkness.

For a moment silence lingered. Then Ryouma couldn't help himself. "Could you perhaps, care about us Quartzmon?"

There was no answer.

* * *

The sound of dripping was loud in his ears. It was almost like a leaky pipe, the incessant thrum of broken plumbing. Yet he knew better, the incessant pattern only came from two things: rain and wounds. Taiki didn't have to look at the scene beneath him to know which it was. As his eyes were painfully dragged to the water beneath his soaked pants, he began to hear the sounds of labored breathing. He wasn't sure what he would see first.

First the water was dark. Then the image flickered, showing a blur of orange and pink skin and scarlet red. It wavered and changed, trying to form something indistinct. Taiki rubbed his eyes. He had the vaguest sense that, even if he tried to turn away, the image would be burned into his retinas. So he tried to look and to his relief, the image faded, swirling instead into another, a monstrous creature with many hands and eyes and a mouth for a chest cavity.

"I… I'm sorry," he whispered. The words weren't spoken, but they echoed all the same. "I… You didn't know… and I couldn't teach you." As these words rippled the water, the image changed, twisting into various people he had met over this past fight in Digi-Quartz. His heart ached and he shook his head, trying to drive away the wild, twisting thoughts that were trying to strangle him alive. The images began to shift faster, showing a familiar face, heartbroken. Yuu. He was all right. He was healing. Things were able to be fixed.

" _You have to be a superman. Why can't you turn your back on me?"_

 _Because I can't,_ he had thought at the time, unable to give the boy the answer he wanted. Why couldn't he do it? Why couldn't he stop forgiving? Why couldn't he stop being strong and turning the other cheek?  _I don't know how…_ He was frightened to know how because he knew deep in his heart there was someone, something, he just couldn't let go.

_Dad…_

As he thought this word, the man appeared before his very eyes. His back was to his son as he charged, ramming a man past caution yellow tape.  _No. No, don't do that. Don't you know what will happen? Don't do that Dad!_ But that was another time, another place and he was too weak to move his arms.

_This is how it is. You couldn't hold onto his hand and he fell. It was a terrible accident._

_No,_ Taiki thought dimly, in a voice that was too young to be him today but too old to be anyone else.  _No, I can save him. I can hold him up and then you won't be able to do any of this. I can-_

As his hand reached toward the water, someone firmly pulled him back to lay flat. "Don't Taiki-san, you can't!" The words were jumbled, helpless confusion and Taiki dizzily looked up at frightened emerald eyes. The gaze was changing before him, their color switching from green to violet like a malfunctioning TV set. "You can't save him!"

"I can," he murmured feebly, trying to struggle up. His thoughts scattered his speech, lips moving soundlessly."I have to. Everyone else… have to make up for… all of them…"  _The boy on the road, the friends I made, the people who didn't really make it. They all want me to save them. They all trust me to help them._

"You can't." Ryouma repeated unsteadily, his voice strangely hoarse. Could he have been calling him from wherever he had been? "You can't Taiki-san. He's dead. You can't save him…"

"Why not?" The question struck him silent. "Why can't I? Everyone tells me… they call me a superman! They think I can do so much. Even when I'm exhausted, I can do anything because I have hope. There's always a possibility, so I can…" He was pulling himself up to a sitting position, his arms strangely heavy and sluggish.

Ryouma couldn't help but observe this, his mind trying to puzzle out the mystery in front of him. Selflessness was strange, a natural response to helping other people. To Taiki, it was only normal to give someone else a hand, even if nothing came in return. It was normal to believe the best in others. And yet… when taken too far, it became very selfish, a sense of pride. Only you can do it… only you will do it. Only you are able to do anything. And that was… that was…

"It doesn't have to be you."

The endless self-assuring murmurs fell into silence and he finds a grey disbelieving gaze. "It doesn't have to be you," Ryouma repeated quietly, chuckling to himself at the irony. "You don't have to save everyone if you don't want to. You shouldn't save everyone because they think they need you to. You're, you're better than that. You have…" He looked for the words and sighed when they would not come to his tongue. "You are someone who likes to work with others but… ultimately everything is done on your own. Everything important you have found a way to do on your own. That way, no one will suffer but you, no one can be blamed but you. From the way others feel to the way enemies have fallen, I think you have done that to them on your own. You trust them to do things the way they go because you know they believe in you enough to make it happen. I… I am not entirely aware of how I know this… but perhaps this is something you are trying to convey."

Ryouma couldn't bring himself to smile with more than his lips. "You are kind Taiki-san, but you are also holding us tightly. It's all right. You don't have to hold on anymore. Please… that burden you're carrying… whatever it is, you need to put it down." Sudden, vivid mortification welled up in his brain and Ryouma found himself looking away for a moment, trying to regather himself. This was personal, deeply more personal than you were meant to know someone you admired. Was it normal? Was this what it was like to easily make friends? "If… If you really desire it near you so much, then… then please…" He thought for a moment. "Please allow me to carry it instead."

Taiki finally broke the silent stare. "Why would I make you do something like that?"

Ryouma laughed. "You're not going to  _make_ me do anything. That's not your style Taiki-san. However, I… no matter how much I try, I can't find a way to allow myself to move forward from what happened that day. Sometimes… I wonder if dying would solve the matter." Taiki opened his mouth then closed it, suddenly thoughtful. "So I wonder now if… trying to live as you have, I can find a way to do so."

"So please, allow me this chance. Allow me to make a second chance for myself."


	7. Acceptance

"Keep your ears clear and your eyes open and watch the world begin."

Taiki's silence in those next few moments was not only palpable but it was almost like another person. It was like an entirely different version of Taiki, one who was weak and clingy and stubborn and was pulled with whatever tide he fell into. Ryouma felt an urge to reach out to this person, to reassure them that they had nothing to worry about. That would be a lie but… even lies were small comforts. He instead watched the one who was certainly there, certainly thinking. Besides, Ryouma realized, he wasn't entirely sure what he  _could_ say. He was pretty certain his plethora of words had decided to up and disappear by the end of his little speech. So he sat and let the water soak into his legs. It was not blood, definitely.

"… I don't know how."

The sentence had a life of its own, twisting like a serpent and threatening to strangle the tiny hope spot bubbling in the water beneath their feet. It would drag them down into… somewhere, somewhere escape was merely a pretty word. Ryouma waited, knowing other words would slowly bubble their ways upward. "I…" Taiki laughed softly, sound ripping with exhaustion. "I… don't know how to  _not_ hold… whatever it is. I… I love helping others and… I don't want anyone else to die… because of me…"

The silver teen frowned, thinking rather quickly. Then he laughed, a mixture of embarrassment and self-derision in the noise. "I guess… it would be harder than it sounds, wouldn't it? Ah… Hahaha…" He paused, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. "Well… let's not worry about it too much. I've probably overstepped my boundaries…"  **(1)**

"It's fine," Taiki replied quickly, shaking his head. "We need to figure out how to get out of here." He smiled reflexively. "I don't think I want to keep seeing dead people…"

Ryouma couldn't help the grimace rising to his face, thinking of Quartzmon. "I do not either…" He frowned, wondering idly how they would go about leaving. As he thought this, the image of violet flames flickered over his hand. He couldn't help but smile to himself. Now... how to call it up again…

Somehow he wasn't surprised when Taiki-san's hands shined red and orange.

…

Culumon bounced on the red roof tiles, looking rather inquisitively at the chaos below. "Cululu…" he murmured lightly. "I lost them culu~" he whined. When he had gone after the other two from the hospital he had been too small and slow. He wished  _he_ could evolve too. Well, he had found his way to them now, even if they were only in one of these houses. Human houses sure seemed less sturdy than Digimon houses… wait. How did he know that again…? The little puffball gave up on thinking about it and looked down at the crowd of kids.

Those humans were funny. They sure seemed serious about whatever they were talking about. He wasn't sure what they could be worried about. Those two were just fine. They had no choice  _but_ to be fine. They were needed after all. "Hmm… could these people not know about that purpose culu?" he mumbled worriedly. That wasn't good. Weren't people supposed to know they were important? Well, he would probably have to set things a-okay.

The white Digimon wondered if he could even attempt to do that. Something didn't seem right down there, not right at all. "Maybe I should find Shoutmon culu…." He thought aloud anxiously. Culumon began to crawl down to the balcony below.

…

This kid was weird. Okay scratch that, this girl was  _very_ weird.

Tagiru stared down at her, her tiny form no less intimidating despite the foot of height he likely had on her. Also, the fact that Airu was being shifty and Ren was coming outside with a look the gogglehead could only describe as "why me God?" was enough to get even him wanting to back away. However, Tagiru was not a man who gave into fear. Rather… he tried to pretend it didn't exist. And it usually worked. Usually.

However this was creepy. She  _wasn't blinking._

Shion looked at him with her teal eyes that were instantly familiar and troubling, except three times as emotional. She did not want to talk to him. He couldn't answer her; she instinctively felt that in her small bones. She turned to the blond, looking as stoic as she always did, letting the gleaming stare tell her tale. "Please," she said softly, bowing to him. "Tell me what's wrong with my Onii-sama. He is… He is very important to me." She held her Xros Loader gently in one hand, yet as her words continued to leave her mouth, the digits clenched tighter and tighter, as if she were to break the device with sheer willpower.

"Shion," Ren began quietly. "They have nothing to do with it." Underneath his hat, his face bore none of the mild irritation and exasperation that had graced it before. He looked concerned, well as concerned as the guy could look, and also placidly calm. His voice never wavered and Tagiru got the impression the guy had done this so many times there was a medal with his name on it. "Calm down. You know what will happen if we make a scene here." Ren looked conspiratorially up at open windows and in the sudden silence Tagiru found himself hearing the shifting of shutters and rustling curtains. The sudden weight of many eyes pressed on his shoulders and he became vividly conscious of Gumdramon staring irritably up at houses.

 _Just like home,_ he thought in impatience. He was pretty sure the entire Koto ward was aware of Digimon after being  _in_ Quartzmon. It wasn't too hard to think that the Hunters activities had hit the news. So he  _guessed_ people would have a problem with kids causing property damage. However, that did not mean he  _liked_ having complete strangers glaring at him. His  _mom_ had taken to Gumdramon and the others (less so much the larger ones but they weren't around much really) perfectly well and Taiki-san's mom didn't seem to care either.  _I bet people were happy when they saw them saving the world,_ he grumbled.

"That's because they were  _leaving_ Tagiru," Yuu hissed and Tagiru groaned, realizing he had thought out loud. "They thought it was over and now…"

"Now we're scum of one world and possibly hated by the other." Ren shrugged as he commented this. "We can't win. Shit happens." He held out a hand to little Shion, who looked at it with distrust. "Come on now. Do you really want to explain to your mother what havoc you caused?" Tagiru almost felt bad for the creepy girl (who still hadn't blinked more than twice) due to the sheer  _terror_ that leapt into her teal eyes, frown sinking a millimeter deeper. Ren didn't react, holding up his Xros Loader behind his back.

Yuu gave Ren a look of disapproval, blue eyes meeting scarlet and scolding them wordlessly. He didn't really understand the situation, hence his silence, but using the parent threat was not on. Not that he got along with his parents all the time but still. It wasn't exactly the right way to pacify what he saw as perfectly reasonable panic. He was pretty sure whose sibling she was by now and considering what had happened only weeks earlier, she had a right to be mildly freaked out. He got a shake of his head for his trouble. The blonde only scowled back, not noticing Airu trying to feebly catch his attention.

Shion however, paid the warning no mind. Tagiru appreciated that. See, he wasn't the only one with tunnel vision. Take that Yuu. However, he could see where his friend was coming from now. This was more than a little weird, especially since that Xros Loader screen was starting to glow… and Gumdramon was looking around like a dog with its hackles up… or something. "Hey, come on," he started hurriedly, directing the two strategists back toward the main problem. "Why would we know anything? We don't even know where your bro lives." He wiped sweat from his forehead. "And seriously, it's  _too hot_ to fight now. As much as it kills me, why don't we talk about this?"

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with you," Ren muttered. "Don't think that's going to work though." Shion opened her mouth to speak before finding herself almost literally face-to-face with a pair of blue hands. "Dracumon," Ren commanded. "Eye of Nightmare! **(2)** "

"But I don't get to eat this one…" whined the small Digimon as he held up his hands, eyeballs widening almost comically. Shion instantly stepped back, ready to flee about halfway down the street but the sickening stare caught her gaze and froze her in place. She looked blankly ahead, limbs going limp until she stood meekly in place, hands at her sides and Xros Loader slipping from her fingers.

Ren nodded and put a finger to his lips, glaring at each person nearby to make sure they shut up. "All right Shion," he began slowly, stepping towards her with outstretched arms. "You're freaking out but it's fine. Your brother's gonna be fine. Now, we don't want him to be worried up there, so how about you take a rest for a little while? Just sleep for a bit." Each word was dragged painfully, almost like speaking to a hard-of-hearing elder. Yet, strangely, Shion's hollow gaze slipped shut peacefully. Ren grabbed her calmly and sighed. "Dear god… What a pain in the ass."

Airu moaned. "He's gonna be  _mad_." She tugged at her pink jacket in mild annoyance, shoulders sinking with relief despite herself.

"Ryouma doesn't get mad, he gets sadistic," Ren countered coolly. "I've known him longer." Airu huffed but didn't disagree, looking annoyed with the idea of dealing with the possibility. The blue-haired male, supporting the unconscious ten-year-old, looked up at the other two of Xros Heart with mild irritation. "So." Airu went to stand by him, looking a mixture of uncomfortable and trying to rein in her emotions with that minor bit of self-control she did possess.

"So… what?" Tagiru asked with a glower. He really wasn't sure what to say to Ren knocking a kid unconscious. The guy had been perfectly fine letting a girl suffer and he himself get strangled. "Gonna hit us too?"

Ren shrugged. "If I have to, considering I bet you know more about this than I do." He gently, as gentle as Ren ever was, passed Shion over to Airu, who held her with surprising protectiveness. Without looking back, he strolled over to Tagiru and smiled coolly. "I've never been one to shy away from the less than savory ways when it comes to my questions being answered, particularly since  _your_  gogglehead is almost as screwed up."

"So he is here," Yuu muttered, grabbing Tagiru firmly by the back of his shirt. "How about a trade then?" His periwinkle gaze glittered with an unfamiliar gleam, one the hot-blooded Hunter did not recognize and thinking on the little he knew of Yuu's history, wasn't quite sure he wanted to.

"A trade?" Ren's eyebrow quirked and he turned to the blond now, hands in his pockets and unwillingly all ears.

"Sure," Yuu replied, and Tagiru scrambled back with Gumdramon, not wanting to get in the middle of… whatever the hell this was because enthusiasm would not work well here. "We both have things the other wants to know, so why not share?"

"And you're so sure I'll be honest?" remarked his opponent, smirk rising to his face and twisting his mouth cruelly to the right.

Yuu returned the expression with one of his own, licking his lips. "I've been lied to by a knight and my own naivety. I think I can take you on."

"Challenge accepted then." Ren stepped back, crossing his arms. "Let's play."

…

Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Shoutmon opened his eyes slowly. He walked toward the doorway to see the robed demon patiently standing on the landing. "Wisemon," he stated to the air. "Anything?"

"The earlier fluctuation has eased," Wisemon reported from his place. "However, it still, according to my analysis anyway, is occurring. I expect a surge any moment now." The placid tone from the scientist made Shoutmon relax about three "heartbeats". Wisemon probably wouldn't have told him if something was really worth worrying about anyway. He was an ass like that.

The red dragon hopped from where he sat, glancing at the boy on the ground. "What kind of surge? Good, bad, cause earthquakes? Dude, give me an idea of what the hell I need to brace for."

Wisemon shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you what I have not observed Shoutmon. All I know is that there will be another surge. At this point, there is too little information on human Digital Power. Unfortunately none of us are in contact with Bagramon, who would likely have a better idea."

Shoutmon tched. "I thought he was busy screwing with time and space… Anyway we  _can_ get a hold of him?" Before Wisemon could answer, he waved a three-fingered hand, thinking to himself. He had been getting into a habit of that more and more over the years, mostly because relying on everyone else to get things done in  _your_ kingdom was nothing short of failure. You regulated some duties to other people sure, but you ultimately had to be the boss. "Well… if he doesn't see whatever big surges have been going on from wherever he is, something's wrong."

As he spoke, Shoutmon let his eyes travel downward. "If that's the case, we have to have Cutemon and any spare Monitamons sniff him out. Cause if anything can get him…" He trailed off as silver lights began to float from the human body below him. Eyes opened blankly and Shoutmon tensed, expecting an explosion as the lights coalesced into one great sheen like steel. "Dude, you are not a strobe light," Shoutmon muttered to the semi-conscious teenager.

Ryouma coughed as if attempting to answer but all he managed was a wheezing gasp for breath. He coughed again and gingerly rolled onto all-fours, head hanging loosely from his shoulders. "Ah…" The word trembled at his lips, half-lidded eyes unfocused and turning silver from pupil to sclera. Wisemon smiled quietly, but it wasn't a happy expression. Each fang curled with anticipation, a scientist's curiosity of what may come. A part of him, the part that understood Taiki's teachings, hoped that it would come without ending these young lives.

After all, he still had quite a number of experiments to enact on them when this was over.

Ryouma's eyes snapped open and the light burst into a complicated oval of hexagons and swirling streams of data code. It engulfed him as one embraced Taiki's motionless body below, Digital Letters then hiding the children from view. Shoutmon examined it and looked outside. "Evolve," he uttered simply, eyes closing as the ghost of power clutched at his data. He knew this feeling; he knew it better than he knew the feel of his microphone in his hand, of a heart's energy wrapping around him in the Xros Loader.

Whatever the fuck was going on at the moment, he was pretty damn sure any Digimon in a twenty mile radius had heard about it.

And so had their mystery creeper.

Shoutmon was broken out of these dark thoughts by something slamming into his head. "I found you culu!" The red dragon laughed despite himself and yanked the purple and white creature to plop unceremoniously to the ground. It would have pouted but the green stare caught a glimpse of the orb. "Ohh!" gasped the puffball delightedly, voice oddly blissful. "It started without me cululu!" He bounced to his large feet, dashing almost into the wall before hovering excitedly over the silver… egg. Shoutmon reached over and yanked the Digimon away by the ear, causing the creature to squeal in alarm. "What's going on culu?"

" _You_ ," Shoutmon replied cheerily, holding the little Digimon up by the ear with one hand. "Have way too many secrets kid." He smiled lightly. "I don't mind you knowing a little bit about this random weirdo stuff that's going on here. You've got a rep, you know." He paused and his blue eyes narrowed sharply. "However," Shoutmon's tone changed, cooling like a winter blizzard. "Yesterday I had to help a kid kill Valkyrimon to save your tiny butt and he was one of my best fighters. I ain't gonna say "stuff happens" to that. So…" He dropped the creampuff on his rear. "Spill. And be as detailed as you can."

The little Digimon stared, wide green eyes seemingly stuck on completely baffled. What, they didn't expect him to look for answers? Something was wrong with Taiki,  _his_  General,  _his_  partner, and it was linking to  _his_ kingdom in one way or another. He wasn't just going to sit on his heels and watch shit happen. Culumon didn't speak, just kept looking at him with a nervous blend of feelings. He sighed. "I'm not gonna hit you; I don't beat up kids. But you see what I mean right?"

Culumon opened his mouth slowly and as he did so, the red gem on his forehead glittered. Now… it could have been a trick of the light, but Shoutmon swore he saw a glimmer of red in those eyes. Calm, mocking red. He paused a little, disarmed. "Dude, who _are_ you?"

"Culumon is-" He was cut off by a roar of wind and shattering glass. Well, he wouldn't have been if he hadn't rolled into the wall from the force of it all. "Ow!"

"Wisemon!" he snapped over the wind, defying it through sheer force of will. "Status!"

"I'm fine." Shoutmon's bark was answered quickly, thankfully. "That gust was from an outside source but they both should be safe in those cocoons. Still, I'd recommend dealing with that opponent as quickly as possible."

"Joy," the red dragon deadpanned, heading to the balcony and catching a glimpse of a great shadow over the area. The red and yellow bird giant flapped its wings, sending another fierce gust. "A Garudamon. Really?" Shoutmon groaned. "One of those… is in a human area. This just got difficult."

"Where is it?" roared the bird-man **(3)**. "Where is the Matrix?"

Shoutmon glanced at Culumon from the window, not even remotely disturbed. "What the hell did you  _do_  kid?" He was impressed that some baby was getting this much trouble… then again… he hadn't  _heard_ anything… he would have to talk to Lunamon, cause this guy was clearly not gonna spill... not that Shoutmon was sure he  _wanted_ him to anymore.

Culumon stared at him innocently. "I hatched."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) This is a Japanese culture moment. Ryouma was pretty much saying last chapter: let me take care of your problems for a little while, in a sense. The exactness of what he was asking for is up for debate by you guys, but what his request was implying was a relationship with more familiarity than these two have at the moment. (No not like that.) The Japanese, Ryouma particularly is a good example for Digimon due to his well-mannered speech and etiquette, are rather respectful and formal. Therefore, seeing as these two have only just really started on being friends, it's a bit of a stretch for Taiki to even accept this happening even if he had any clue how to do it. So yeah, random culture moment.
> 
> (2) This is one of Dracumon's attacks, which surprisingly wasn't shown in the anime if I remember. It's a hypnotism technique, which makes a lotta sense for a "vampire" mon. I just thought I'd mention that was legit, in case a reader went up and was like: Wait whut?
> 
> (3) Wikimon, a site I usually check my sources and info on, actually has this guy listed as "Bird Man" Digimon, which I thought was rather hilarious.


	8. Blood

"All creatures, monster or man, can die."

He was always the observer.

People had always called him the Angel of Death, one of the most terrifying creatures to have been born. People believed he could take a soul from any part of the world and throw it into the endless abyss. People believed he could rip creatures from their dimensions.

Of course, all of this was correct.

Why did he not use these powers? Because that was foolish. It was ridiculous to reveal your entire hand before the game was finished. Even when he died, this observer did not regret this choice. Regrets were simply too complex to waste time on, could come from too many angles with not enough answers to questions. So he didn't regret; merely pondered alternate possibilities. It made life all the more interesting to wonder, so he did, and while doing to, he watched time tick by. Soon he would have to act. This time however, he was well aware of the best place to begin.

"It certainly has been a while hasn't it?"

Familiar sapphire eyes opened to glare dispassionately at him, Kiriha's indifference faded into recognition with a raised eyebrow as Nene reached for her Xros Loader. "Paranoid aren't you?" The old man asked with a wizened grin.

"Call it a force of habit," she replied with the faintest of sneers, a look that twisted her pretty face narrow. Kiriha smirked at this, leaning over to appraise his genial demeanor. Not that he believed it for a second though. "So… what are you here for sir? You aren't exactly known for making social calls." Clockmon's chime-like laugh from next to him caused the Watchmaker to snort, hunching over his cane in a dramatic sort of slump.

He laughed for a moment, watching the two teenagers shifting ominously through his opaque lenses. As always, the Generals were simply… so wonderfully interesting. It was a shame only one knew the truth… though he was impressed by the tight-lipped silence he made. He was also impressed by Kiriha. His paranoia remained well-founded even now. "I'm here to borrow your skills, I'm afraid. The Digital World and Human World aren't exactly on good foundations at this moment."

The way the two moved, Nene to stand behind Kiriha's chair and both of their hands resting around their Xros Loaders like a fighter would a knife, it was so ferociously human. This was the thing that Digimon lacked. Reflexively, they fought to survive. However, there was nothing like this human gleam, this awareness of just how much they would have to destroy to live in normal eyes. It was imperfect true, like a kitten growling at its mother. But they compensated for their weakness. They would evolve.

And it seemed already… that that had begun.

Kiriha didn't lean back in his chair, but he did smile, as though pulling the power in the room closer to the pair of children. "So… what do you want from us?"

"Plenty," replied the old man, sitting down at the café table and setting to work.

...

Gumdramon had fought a lot of giant 'mons in his short lifespan. Quartzmon was certainly the creepiest. Garudamon was not the biggest. Sadly the blue dragon had to admit… it was certainly up there. Literally. Geez. He tensed his small body, ready to spring when the bastard so much as breathed wrong. This was the  _worst_ place to fight, all cramped and with a lot of- damn it what were those called, oh right liabilities- all over the city. Perfect. Well, in that case-

"Gumdramon, evolve!" Tagiru commanded reflexively and the blue dragon stared at him. He thought Tagiru had gotten smarter but he guessed too many run forward and smash fights had stuck into his mind. As the gogglehead raised his Xros Loader, Yuu yanked on his wrist and silently pointed around him. Tagiru cursed and watched Gumdramon crouch, clearly intending to throw the little dragon if it would do something productive or overall positiveThe Wild Child then leaped, resisting the urge to use the rooftops like any  _sensible_ fighter, and shouted. "OI! Garudamon what the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be keeping an eye on that cat or something!" Slowly, amber eyes swiveled around to look at the small creature on the human road. To their shock, it gave a respectful nod in his direction.

"Hello, Gumdramon," greeted the creature, offering a large, taloned hand. Reluctantly Gumdramon climbed on, allowing the creature to perch him on his shoulder. "Is that your human down there then?" The pleasant tone was more than disconcerting, it was downright weird. Mostly because no human thought  _Gumdramon_ would get anything resembling respect from anyone Digimon-related. Gumdramon nodded slowly and the creature sighed, deep voice ringing with dismay. "Well this is a mite difficult then."

"Did the King or your Captain send you?" asked the blue dragon with a small scowl. After all, Garudamon didn't just up and leave his post for  _nothing_ , nor was he entirely fond of humanity either. It had something to do with a Piyomon he knew. In any case, the fact that the neutral justice wielding bird was here… and Valkyrimon was  _not_  was a bad sign. It was a very bad sign. Gumdramon would never admit this to Tagiru, but… even if Arresterdramon's potential was fully unlocked and all that happy stuff, Garudamon would stomp him down like a rolling pin. He had _experience_ in  _real battles_ and the blue dragon knew for a fact that no one here but the King (wherever the hell he was) and Damemon had much of that outside of skirmishes.  _Am I going to have to fight this guy?_  He hoped not. He liked his limbs in place thank you very much.

Garudamon's large head shook slowly, eyes mournful. "The Captain was murdered yesterday… here in the human world. I was sent to continue his mission."

Tagiru's partner stared. "Wait… wait a minute  _what?_ " Tagiru looked between them and his fellow humans, utterly confused. The problem with Garudamon was that he was unintentionally loud.

"What the hell are they talking about?" Ren shrugged even as Yuu's expression churned with thought.

"Beats me," Ren replied, gesturing for Airu to get out the line of fire. The girl's pink Xros Loader was already out and shining. Like Ren, she had to be taking no chances. "I know plenty about Digimon, not a bit about politics."

"Valkyrimon are legendary," Yuu elaborated after a moment. "They aren't equal to Bagramon's level… or even say those old gods Digimon used to worship… but considering their arrows always hit their mark…"

"Nothing ordinary could have killed the bastard," Ren cut in. "Am I right?" At Yuu's nod, he scowled. "Wonderful. So… that mission must be one hell of a doozy if you send the best from the get-go."

Airu looked meaningfully around the neighborhood, watching fellows glaring out the windows and look about ready to leave their houses. "Or we're going to be subdued or something." Yuu glanced at her with the slightest amount of admiration, periwinkle gaze glimmering with surprise. She winked at him before looking around again, scowling at people opening their doors. "Idiots," she murmured.

"Why are they even coming out here," Opossumon wondered, climbing her partner's shoulder. "They'll be killed." Tagiru winced.

"Cause humans are dumb," giggled Dracumon as he walked menacingly towards one of the doors. "Gettin' all huffy and runnin' out to their own deaths when they know they can't do anything." The small demon yawned and stretched. "May have saved our butts back then though."

Meanwhile Gumdramon recovered himself. The longer he made the bird talk the better. If the King had heard the large bird from wherever he was, he could at least tone him down. Normally he would move him out of the way and at least hold him off, but in this place there simply was nowhere 'out of the way' now was there? "Wha-What Digimon could kill Valkyrimon though," he stammered. "The King was one of the only guys who put a dent on him!"

Garudamon hesitated, watching the small dragon's expression turn from forced surprise to actual horror. "I believe the Captain brought it upon himself," he began slowly as Gumdramon began to scramble backwards on his shoulders. "He got to his position due to the side he had taken… not because of the King's foolishness. He had faith in him…"

"And killed him!" the blue dragon shrilled. "That isn't what the King would do! Don't lie!"

Amber eyes narrowed. "You are aware I am a horrible liar."

"B-But that couldn't have happened! Killing other Digimon is…" He bit his tongue at the word  _forbidden_ because it wasn't. He knew immoral was only half true too… "Killing your own teammates is just-"

"Unlike me," a gruff voice interrupted. "Right?" Shoutmon's blue eyes appraised them from a balcony, making Ren facepalm. "You guys sure are noisy, disturbing these humans more than we already do."

"Sir," Garudamon greeted, bowing his head tersely. Shoutmon waved him off.

"Devolve at least," the King ordered with an eerie dismissiveness. "I'm fine being your punching bag… doesn't mean the whole neighborhood's gotta go too." The birdman glowered and Shoutmon returned the favor. "Look you're pissed. Cute. Don't bring other people into your shit! He taught you that didn't he?" Garudamon's agitated expression flushed with rage and the King merely leaped down below, standing protectively in front of the humans with a look on his face that could only be described as battle-hungry. Any idiot could see he  _wanted_ a fight right now,  _relished_ his fist hitting a good few people in the face even. Slowly Garudamon shrank, changing before their eyes into a blue and white dragon and was only half a foot taller than Shoutmon, leaving Gumdramon to fly down in front of Tagiru, expression unreadable.

"It looks like a dog," Airu stage-whispered to Ren, who rolled his eyes.

"Trait of my species," it snapped at her coolly. Shoutmon snorted before his expression slipped, eyes glancing toward the house he had left. Then he looked back to normal. "What's the matter?"

"People dying when I turn around used to be a trend," was Shoutmon's remark. "Like your captain."

"You said-" Gumdramon started before his King  _glared_ at him. Tagiru watched his partner be stunned silent and mentally wolf-whistled.  _Damn._

The dragon looked down on his king, crossing muscular arms in disbelief. "Did you kill him my lord?"

"I helped if it makes you feel any better," he answered. "The guy almost started an interworld war. Killing kids, even unintentionally, sets off stuff in any creature's head. Nor," Shoutmon added, spinning his staff to quiet any outbursts. "Did he actually explain the situation. The kid came to us for help. You see the predicament I was in right V-dramon?"

V-dramon stared at him. "You mean to say he was addled sir?" He whispered these words, grey claws flexing into fists.

Shoutmon glared. "No he was perfectly of his wits and capable of listening. I put my faith in that guy, you know I did!" He scowled down them all, daring them to disagree. "But he didn't stop to consider the situation of there being a Digimon blowing up an alley, particularly in  _this_ place! As the King, my responsibility isn't just to our world!"

"Why not?" V-dramon countered, ruby eyes burning. "Why not simply abandon this world?"

The King only snorted. "Because I have a  _General_ and I have friends here. I would be the shittiest being alive if I let them die."

"Your kingdom could be in danger!" V-dramon roared, losing composure.

"And you assume he can't protect both."

Ryouma stood haphazardly against the wall of his fence. The clothes he wore were shredded, barely more than rags, and he panted for breath where he slumped, but his expression was no less than composed as he stood there, glaring at the trembling opponent with contempt. "You can stop glaring at him now," the silver teen almost purred, words barely leaving his lips. " _I_  am the one who killed your Captain."

V-dramon snarled softly, ruby eyes turning a deeper, icier shade of red. Shoutmon winced. It had been a mistake to make him devolve. V-dramon had some seriously bad tempers. Then it snorted. "A human is incapable of that."

Ren watched his best friend shrug. "I didn't say I was human anymore now did I?" Now amethyst eyes pierced the air. "The situation is rather complicated… and I will be the first to admit I will likely be unable to replicate the feat, however." The familiar gun formed in his hand. "I can at least smack you for misbehavior." He frowned at the object mockingly. "Except this might grow annoying… perhaps…" The weapon glowed purple and shifted in his hand, turning to something resembling a rapier. It was certainly similar to one but… in any case, he would figure this out some other time. Its glow vanished, leaving only dull metal in its place. "This is much better."

"A toothpick," the Digimon stated in disbelief. "You believe you can trounce me with a toothpick?"

Ren raised an eyebrow at the word choice as Ryouma chuckled. "Why don't we find out?" He stepped away from the house, moving towards where the others were standing.

"Hey what are you doing?" Gumdramon yelled, sparing Shoutmon the opportunity. His whole body shook from warring emotions: rage and fear. "That guy's gonna pull out your stomach or something!"

Ryouma grinned. "Let me be reckless once in a while." Of course this was the moment V-dramon moved, smashing a fist towards the teen and knocking him into a small crater. The humans leaped back, Airu unconsciously covering the sleeping girl's eyes. V-dramon did not remove his fist from the crater, pulling it back slowly as Ryouma pulled himself to his feet. He shook his head, blood dripping from the back of his head. "Nice…" he whispered despite himself.

"You aren't bad yourself," the dragon mused, unclenching his hands and reaching back. "Perhaps inhuan describes you well after all."

The silver teen only smiled back. "Perhaps." As V-dramon slashed the air, he leaped, slashing the sword forward with a clang. He placed his other hand over the blade's hilt, and pressed forward as gently as he could. If this broke he was screwed. It wasn't like he could fire energy beams or had the strength to knock down the giant monster with a punch or something. Maybe that was gogglehead exclusive. He would have to ask. He pulled away from the claw only to lunge forward, stabbing the point of the blade into the palm. Red splashed onto his face and Ryouma shook it out of his eyes. Great… this was not going to be pretty. Pulling back, Ryouma retreated from the ensuing strike. Reflexively he moved the blade to his left hand, testing its weight just long enough to dodge into a wall.

"Did you beat my leader through running boy?" barked V-dramon in what was simply known as blood rage, fist thrusting into a wall. Ryouma blinked slowly, picking himself up.

"Ask me next time if I remember," he answered airily, moving toward the temporarily stuck creature and making a downward slash. He was yanked by the blade into the air and tossed casually into the air. Despite himself the boy smiled and threw the sword, it slashing down the dragon's arm in a downward scratch and clashing to the concrete. As red splashed down the forearm, V-dramon grunted.

"No more taking it easy then." He opened his mouth wide as his opponent smacked the ground. " _V-Breath Arrow!"_

…

"And Taiki hasn't told us this because…"

The Clock Maker had to stop meddling with other worlds. Kiriha was having a lot of trouble believing his friend had been dragged into multiple world problems for a  _third_ time and hadn't said anything.

The Watchmaker met the skepticism with little more than a smile. "He isn't aware of it." His cane thunked on the ground as he walked, Clockmon pacing behind him with delightful little chimes. "You keep giving him too much credit the lot of you. He knows something is happening and who could be causing it but to this extent? Of course not. He's only human or rather…" His scarlet eyes flickered. "He was."

Nene, unlike most girls, did not gasp. She merely raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

The old man glanced her over. "Can any of you who were in the Digital World say you came out of it unscathed? Did your bodies not become stronger, your reflexes more honed, even your instincts have been altered? Is that not true?" Kiriha and Nene glanced at each other. "Think of it now. You were forced into battles for your lives, into subterfuge humans do not even experience in the military. You all were part of a great war, pulled through the veins of the Digital World itself to fix it. To assume it would not touch you as you changed it is foolhardy."

"So we could be the same then," Kiriha mused. "Only why did his awaken first?"

"It is likely due to Quartzmon… and the Code Crown." Bagramon replied slowly, thoughtfully. "I cannot be certain without examination… but they are certainly two existences who have transcended the plane we mortals walk upon. Who can say how it was done? At the moment however, I certainly can say…" He looked at the street corner, where debris had flown its way to. "You certainly know how to make a point don't you Taiki-kun?"

Sure enough, their friend was sitting on a fence to the irritation of one of the citizens. He looked at them and smiled weakly at Kiriha and Nene without words. His eyes, an odd pale red, flickered between the trio and whatever was happening around the bend. He seemed only mildly concerned but with Taiki, that could possibly mean the apocalypse. The teen nodded at the Watchmaker, expression slightly distasteful as he opened his mouth to speak… and nothing left his lips.

"It looks like it was true after all," the man commented. Taiki actually scowled, eyes narrowing coldly. "Are you frightened of something?" Taiki hopped down from his perch and made no gesture of reply, leaving Kiriha to walk over and plant a hand gently yet firmly on his shoulder.

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday?" He accused, causing the other to wince and then blink. He only had the vaguest idea what was going on himself but… even a little information would have been told… wouldn't it? Then Kiriha thought about it… and remembered Cyber Land. He remembered how quite calmly Taiki had played them like a fiddle to keep them safe. It seemed not even trust would stop him from doing it again. He released the other boy's arm. "Are we really friends Taiki?"

Taiki looked at him slowly and made the strangest of expressions. Yet Kiriha thought he heard the answer even though the mouth didn't move.  _"You know the answer to that."_

Kiriha sighed, shaking his head. "Just next time, spill." Taiki nodded slowly, a little helplessly even. Then a roar drew their attention, causing Taiki to bolt straight around. They followed, wondering what events could be happening in the noonday sun

V-dramon released the energy and shot it straight down, just as a certain puffball went flying forward. "NO!" Culumon screamed, crashing into the dragon's head. "No, no, no!" His movement knocked the energy off course to scorch another section of concrete. Culumon swung to clench V-dramon's mouth shut. "He is important culu!" the creature yelped angrily, glaring with flickering eyes on an adorable face. "We need him culu! You will not kill him or this will not work! Bad! You are bad!"

They all gaped for a moment as Ryouma pulled himself to his feet and staggered aside. V-dramon's eyes narrowed as he moved to pull off the annoying creature, only for Shoutmon's microphone to be pressed against his throat. "All right," sighed the King. "Enough. Wisemon wanted to see what would happen but… this is getting too far ain't it?

"What a wonderful decision you made king. Picking your battles is a valuable skill you've learned." The Watchmaker finally joined them, limping in his decently paced manner.

The red dragon scowled. "Shut up old man."

"I believe you wanted to chat?" The aforementioned man smiled with a crooked edge, waving his cane. "I must say you have an issue keeping yourself out of trouble Your Majesty."

Shoutmon glared without malice, smiling faintly. "You're late old man."

"Surely the lesson 'look before you leap' has drilled itself into your head by now," was the calm reply. Shoutmon snorted but kept his tongue, expression bordering on distasteful. The clockmaker smiled quietly, red eyes resting on the semi-conscious teen against the wall. Ryouma looked up and managed a small glare. His help would have been  _kindly_ appreciated moments earlier. Taiki did not glare as he went to examine the former fighter, merely narrowed his eyes and tilted his head quizzically to the right.

Whatever question had glimmered in grey eyes, the man only laughed. "Not yet, I'm afraid. Not yet." Taiki nodded and held out a hand to the fallen silver boy. The Clockmaker stepped over and Taiki retreated, suspicion rising in his stance like a cautious rabbit. "One of you," the old man stated as he assessed this, noticing the other's unconscious follow up. "Or both of you, will need to explain everything."


	9. Upsets

"There are things self-control cannot contain."

"She's all right, ya know."

Ryouma glanced at him and chuckled. "Ren, I'm not going to bite you." His friend huffed, still not moving from where he stood by the door. Ryouma placed his sister down on the bed. "I don't think I have the energy at the moment, to be truthful. That fight took a fair amount out of me..." He sat down on the bed, looking at the sword in one hand. "I'm surprised I'm able to stand up so easily now."

"Yes, let's ignore the fact that you were fighting a dragon just a few minutes ago," Ren muttered, walking over and slapping Ryouma's shoulder. The other winced and smoothed the covers over Shion's body. "Dude... seriously, you all right?"

Ryouma glanced at him, at the troubled frown and agitated stance. "Of course not," he said. "But... Taiki-san is worse. I'm sure even Tagiru could tell you that." He fell silent a moment, resting his hand over Shion's hair. "However... murder is not going well on my conscience, I can't pretend it does." He laughed a little. "We are blessed."

Ren nodded, letting out a sigh. He walked to the door and rapped on it, letting Airu slide in with a disgruntled squeak. "Hate to hit you with more bad news, but we're in trouble."

"Oh, believe me, we already were."

Ren shook his head, watching Airu lean out the window and stick her tongue out at the neighbors. "What, is there a figurehead for the two worlds hating each others' guts?"

Ryouma shrugged, covering Shion's head with the covers. "Something like that." Her fingers reached blindly over the fabric and clasped his. The girl made a muffled noise and shifted again, making him chuckle fondly. He placed her hand back down, away from his, and watched her turn over. His eyes narrowed slowly, and he mentally shook his head. "Take care of her, Ren, Airu. Please."

"You aren't going to die," Airu informed him. Or it sounded like she was informing him. "You can't die until I get to see you punch your mother across a stadium."

"I'm not suicidal," their friend protested.

"As suicidal as that idiot downstairs."

"Which one," Ren muttered and Ryouma sighed.

"That wasn't what I meant." He stroked the hilt of his sword with a thumb. "I don't plan on dying any time soon. I am worried that I'll have to disappear for a while, and if that happens and Okaa-sama comes home... I can't say that I can trust her to take care of Shion."  _As it is, I don't know how much longer it will be safe to stay here._

" _Not long, I think."_

Ryouma tilted his head. " _What makes you so certain, Taiki-san?"_

The noise that entered his mental ears reminded him of a thoughtful hum and he suppressed a laugh. Was this Taiki's way of saying: this is my instinct, shut up and follow it? He answered moments later. " _Karoku-san has a bigger reason to chase after me now than he did about three days ago. He takes his advantages where he can get them."_

" _Sounds familiar. Why you?"_

"…  _Has less to do with me and more to do with what I have against him, at least, as far as I can tell."_

" _Which is?"_

Silence.

Ryouma scowled. " _Fine, don't tell me, despite the fact that we've pulled my sister and our friends into this."_ Taiki winced and mentally, the other sighed. " _Not fair. I apologize."_

" _Accepted."_

His eye twitched. " _… You seriously need to stop doing that._  He took a deep breath. _Is there anything you_  can  _tell me?"_

" _If I had any idea, I would. I know about as much as anyone here. He somehow kn_ _ow_ _of the Digital World; he somehow knows that I know about it, and he's taking great pleasure_ _in the fact that it's being very responsive to people."_

"The thing is alive," he muttered aloud, causing the other two to look at him. Ryouma waved a dismissive hand. 'Mental connection. Kind of bizarre."  _It might be from Quartzmon, which is probably even more bizarre._

" _No,"_  Taiki corrected, and he could see an amused smile on his face. " _It's just disturbing."_

" _I think that is a general consensus."_ He sighed and glanced at Ren, who was carelessly looking over the sword. "What," he said quietly. "Do you recognize this one?"

"Derived from the rapier," the other said simply. "Some Spanish thing that has a similar style to it Meant more for thrusting and parrying, less on the slashing." Airu rolled her eyes. He gave her a smirk."Hey, when your mother's a weapons' nut, she's a weapons' nut. Ah." He snapped his fingers. " _Espada ropera_. That's the damn thing. Anyway," He smacked Ryouma in the forehead. "I know you were fighting on serious instinct, but you have to look that up. Otherwise, as strong as it could be, you'll probably break the damn thing, even with that crazy light show."

"Isn't he so  _technical_?" Airu hummed, grinning at Opossumon. Ren rolled his eyes and shot her the bird.

"I'm not the potential physics major, so forgive me if I choose to sound as stupid as I like."

Ryouma rolled his eyes at the pair of them, laughing. "I will keep it in mind, Ren. Thank you."

The other shrugged, trying to dismiss it. "I just think it would suck if you died."

"Oh look, he does care."

"Screw you."

…

Gumdramon was not sure what he was supposed to be doing right about now. One of the strongest members of the Kingdom was sitting here with the King's mic at his throat. Shoutmon seemed rather bored with having to do it too. Garuda - V-dramon, he corrected himself (it happens once in a while)- wasn't going to do anything too bad now. The king would stop him, there was no doubt about it. Or Gumdramon could try and stop him. How well would that go?...he didn't want to have to try, that was for sure.

He sat on the edge of the couch, watching the King's partner scribble patiently on the paper. He had a hard time referring to him as Taiki. Not because all humans looked the same, really. But... the guy was a bloody General, emphasis on the blood. The human name didn't quite fit. He couldn't explain this to Tagiru, though. It was hard to explain normal things to him, but the guy... the guy made the King the King! Do you respect that, or do you just act normal? It was hard to tell. Even for a guy like him, it was very hard to tell.

That said... he could still glare at the Clockmaker. The guy was making his scales crawl, and they were rubber! The man was calmly speaking at the Generals and they were each answering him, in this strange, on-cue kind of way. It was kind of scary. He would never admit it, but once he knew who Yuu was, the four of them in the same area scared him. All of them were combat _geniuses,_ and their teamwork was a bigger legend than the Code Crown.

Speaking of which... what had  _happened_ to that thing?

Gumdramon knew he was awesome, but to be acknowledged by the Code Crown would just cement the truth. However, last he heard, the thing had up and magically disappeared after the Xros Wars. Or something. Shoutmon probably knew where it was, but he didn't talk about it. He probably didn't want to. Power could get stolen and all of that. Damn.

He tuned back in to the conversation with reluctance, noting the way Culumon was still shooting glares at V-dramon. It was hilarious. Culumon couldn't fight. They were lucky to evolve into Plotmon! He was still trying though. Had to give him credit for that. He glared down badasses himself.

Reluctantly, he tuned himself back in, watching the old man turn towards the Generals with a rather pensive look under his beard. It wasn't comforting. He didn't care what Tagiru said: the old man was nothing comforting. He used people, and even though it had been fine to do it before, Gumdramon hated it now.

"Taiki-kun... you're relatively certain of my hypothesis then?" He earned a nod and the old man smiled. "Good. Then... the question is... who will be next?" Taiki raised an eyebrow. "Who was the closest to the Code Crown after the two of you?" Bagramon said carefully. "Do you remember?"

He shook his head slowly. Then Taiki bolted straight up out of his chair and ran speeding out the door. Shoutmon let out a groan. "Thanks for freaking him out, old man." He went after him, muttering expletives.

The others all looked at one another a moment. Then Kiriha and Nene both winced together and Yuu hissed through his teeth. "Duh," he muttered, facepalming. "Hello, minor details, I need to stop forgetting." The other two both snorted and went towards the doorway.

"Then explain it to the rest of us," they heard Ren grumble from the other side of the doorway. Ryouma sat on the stairs, massaging his temples. Gumdramon thought the guy was swearing under his breath. That was a funny thought. "I think my friend here just got hit by a psychic link of pissed off."

"You have friends." Airu muttered, earning a swat to the head.

Kiriha struggled to contain his irritation, murmuring to Nene. She nodded to hhim and paused. "Akari-kun... a member of Xros Heart... went into the Code Crown with Taiki-kun to save Shoutmon."

"And what does that have to do with-" Ren was cut off by Ryouma's hiss for quiet. He raised a hand slowly, frowning with irritation.

Then he sighed. "I'm not going after him. I think he just threatened to level a city block."

"I thought that meant we should," Tagiru said slowly.

Kiriha snorted. "I've never seen Taiki angry. I'm not sure I want to see it even with a two ton ZekeGreymon in way of the carnage."

…

Taiki didn't like getting upset.

It really clouded his thoughts to be overly emotional. Contrary to, well, at least Xros Heart's popular belief, he actually kept his emotions in a very tight bottle. It wasn't exactly healthy, but it was better than when he was six.

He did not want to revert to being that six-year-old selfish little bastard ever again.

That said, he was getting more emotional than normal more often. It made him uncomfortable. The flying, he could deal with. Every kid wanted to fly. The magical fireballs that every so often decided to singe his hair? Yeah, he could work with that.

What he couldn't handle was his friends getting pulled into his business. It made him grind his teeth.

Unfortunately, he had been pulling in Akari since day one. That had to stop eventually. It was too late for Ryouma, which, as far as he was concerned, was damn near enough of a problem. Couldn't people have a chance to let well enough alone?

 _Damn scientist,_  he thought savagely before he could stop himself.

" _I rather enjoy your unabridged take on him. He seems creepy."_

" _You should have seen him at work."_  He hit the ground and sighed. " _There is no GPS for crazy psychic Digimon power is there?"_

" _That's like assuming there's already a wikipedia entry."_

 _Never underestimate the internet._ He pulled out his Xros Loader and pulled up the map. An orange and a blue dot appeared in opposite directions and behind his own was a cluster of rainbow lights. Taiki felt a throb of pain in his chest and winced. " _What?"_

Ryouma shook his head, or at least it felt like that. " _That was not me. I'm currently reeling from your sudden burst of I-want-to-murder-the populace. Culumon is giggling though... for some reason that concerns me."_

" _He's a puffball which unintentionally caused you to murder a Valkyrimon. I'd stay concerned."_

" _Point taken and considered. The Clockmaker plans to examine the other Generals."_

" _He's late to the party."_  Shoutmon ran to stand next to him, looking torn between joining him on the warpath and smacking him unconscious. He wasn't sure which option was better himself. Finally, his partner nodded and started walking.

Taiki grinned. He could always count on his partner to catch on.

He pocketed his Xros Loader again, looking thoughtful. Karoku... he seemed to be pleased by the fact that they were evolving. Was it weakening the barriers between the human and digital worlds? Well, it depended on which barriers he was thinking of? Taiki understood next to nothing of metaphysics or the laws of time-space, or anything resembling that.

" _What about the barriers concerning Digimon and humans emotionally?"_

Taiki frowned and glanced at Shoutmon. The Digimon gave him a simple nod, looking around the street at closing windows and hostile expressions. He was never so happy owning a gun was complicated. " _Consider them unreasonable via the civillian end..._ _he probably likes that_ _."_ Ryouma made a noise resembling a tsk and he smiled. At least the implication weren't lost on everyone.

"Taiki?"

He glanced up to see Akari's expression, her concerned face only feet away. She swung her school bag, looking at him like an alien creature. He relaxed instantly and waved. She raised an eyebrow and he shook his head. Shoutmon watched her expression mold from confusion to anger and whistled. "You are a scary girl, aintcha Akari?"

She let out a huff of amusement. "To have this guy's back, you have to be scary." She reached and pulled her Xros Loader from the pocket of her skirt. "Besides, if he's actually looking for me, I know we're in trouble."

"Oh no, Akari-kun, he's here because something wonderful is soon to come."

Taiki flinched, then hissed sharply as fire rolled into his senses. Something was putting his nerves on end. He felt more than saw Karoku's form. Then, nothing mattered, because he felt that anger well up in his brain. He saw red, the red of his mother's skin.

_You attacked her._

She had been a mutilated mess.

_You killed him._

His outstretched hand in the air.

_You want my friends too._

"What happened today was our little secret."

_It's not going to happen._

"Tell the truth, Taiki-kun, and she's next. And everyone else."

_Never again._

The fire sang, and it sang with the sounds of sirens and popping. Taiki smiled, though he didn't know why he was smiling, and sank to one knee. Akari glanced at him, and for some reason, she flinched. What was the matter? He was going to keep her safe. He wouldn't kill Karoku. There was no reason to... at the moment. He wasn't angry anymore either. He was perfectly calm.

Everything was fine, so why was she afraid?

…

Culumon suddenly squealed, expression exuberant. Ryouma shushed him with a hand, tilting his head to the right. The pain that had been flooding his brain was very abruptly gone, and a low burn was taking its place. It never reached him fully, but... if he tried, he could feel Taiki-san's emotional... nothing.

"Oh,  _shit,"_ he muttered, rising to his feet. This was not good. Taiki-san was calm, yes, but the last few days Ryouma had probably seen more emotions play about his face than a poor poker face. One did not suddenly get that empty and be all right. He cursed again. He wasn't in exactly the best physical condition to go back either.

"It will work out, culu."

Culumon blinked suddenly red -when did this happen- eyes at him. "I've seen it, culu." The creature's words were solemn, off-put by the smile on his face. "It will work out."

Ryouma sighed, the noise breaking the others from whatever the old man was doing in the other room. "I don't have your faith, Culumon. I apologize for that." He shook his head and picked up the blade from where it had rested by his foot. "I need to make sure he doesn't do something he regrets."

"He won't be worrying about that soon, culu."

Ryouma paused in the act of tying his shoes. "I'm sorry?"

Culumon plopped himself on his head, smiling. "Fire doesn't regret, culu." He smiled and the red eyes suddenly seemed horribly familiar. "Fire just burns."

…

Akari coughed and sat up from her hiding place on the pavement, behind a fallen brick wall. "Shoutmon," she called, coughing again. "You alive?"

"By the skin of my butt, yeah," he said, lowering his mic to peer through smoke. "Sweet Yggdrasil, what the hell just happened?"

"I'm asking the same thing," she muttered, watching embers fall from the sky. "Taiki, get the hell over here!"

Karoku chuckled at them. "But everything's only just begun, hasn't it, Taiki-kun?" Taiki coughed from where he was on the ground, remaining knelt below a large blade. The owner of the weapon stared at him blankly, eyes unfocused. His eyes were turning into a darker shade of red. Around his fingers, orange flames began to melt the concrete. "Good boy... that's it. Your father would be proud."

"You shut up!" Akari screamed, rising to her feet again. She squinted through the flames, unable to see her orange Xros Loader lighting her body up like a firework. "You be quiet, you selfish old man! You've done enough! Leave..." Shoutmon decided now would be a good time to take cover and dove under the rubble of a wall. "Us..." The wind picked up, swirling the debris with it. "Alone!"

Taiki hit the ground as the pieces that were formerly bricks and sticks flew forward, knocking into the enemy's chest.

Karoku only laughed. "Full of wonders, are the children."


	10. Promises

_"There are promises and then there are promises."_

Akari wasn't entirely aware of herself in that moment, or at least, aware of how the wind was picking up like a tornado. For a moment, she flailed mentally, uncertain. In the part of her mind that was more instinct than sense, it said go to Taiki, and, well, that had worked decently so far. Some of the time. Besides, knowing him, he knew what to do. Or he'd better.

So she booked it over, or attempted to. The wind picked her up and flung her, none too gently towards a fence. "What the hell was that?"

Shoutmon managed to look up at her and reply. "You're getting superpowers."

"I'm  _what_?" The wind dropped her and she landed with an ease that she  _knew_ she didn't have ten minutes ago. "What the hell is going on?"

Instead of answering, Shoutmon knocked her to the ground away from the strike of a lance. The Digimon that had been so busy with Taiki was now suddenly interested in  _her_ , and she had never wanted something's attention any less.

Shoutmon raised his mic and blocked the next strike, flinging a fireball to obscure the Digimon's vision. "Short version is that supposedly you've all been influenced by the Digimon to have superpowers. So keep your head. If you don't, they'll control you instead. This guy already did." He glanced at Taiki, who hopped besides them.

Taiki stuck out his tongue and Akari rolled her eyes. "Don't be Taiki and overthink everything. Got it." At the look on his face, she laughed. "Well, you do!"

"Can we banter at each other after we get this guy outta here?" Shoutmon barked. "I really ain't likin' this!" He blocked and swung again. He really wasn't meant for lance fights.

"You and the rest of us," Akari said, shaking her wrists. Then she yelped as small gusts came from her hands. "Okay, learning control, eventually. Suggestions?"

Taiki moved and took her hands. He lifted them up and pointed. Akari thought this gesture through and then smiled. "Got it!"

"You understood that?" Shoutmon muttered incredulously.

Akari shrugged. "Not really, but we're friends. I can figure out." She pulled herself out into view. Then she swung one arm in an arc and released a gust of wind. "This is going to be really cool eventually."

" _Eventually_  is the key word there!" Shoutmon bolted past her, leaping with a roar of what could be laughter or exasperation or both. It was always hard to tell with him these days.

Karoku laughed and Akari spun in his direction. "Oh," she grumbled. "I forgot about  _you_." There was no way she could hit him, her energy was already flagging, but she jumped to keep Taiki out of his reach. However, neither he nor his ugly insect of doom moved any closer. Taiki made a small motion with his hands and Akari glowered at him. She was not leaving him open to attack, thank you very much.

Then he leaped to pull her down, the jab of a spear almost entering her midsection. By reflex, he rolled her under him and she buckled to move with him. Then, as the smoke faded, she couldn't help laughing.

"We are the worst," she said to him.

He blinked, smiled, and then croaked out. "... The best..."

Akari stared at him, then hit Taiki upside the head.

"You are an idiot."

He flushed, but didn't speak again.

* * *

Two hours passed before they all returned to the apartment. Ryouma was muttering obscenities when he came in the door, rubbing a knot forming on his head. Taiki was half-carrying Akari after him. The redhead's eyes were slipping out of focus as her head lolled on her neck.

"'M fine," she mumbled at the blurry sight of the others and Shoutmon snorted from the Xros Loader.

"Like hell you are."

Taiki nodded his agreement, letting Ryouma help direct them to a couch. The latter was still muttering to himself as he did so, and Taiki managed a sheepish look, to which Ryouma replied.

"No I'm not letting it go because I did  _not_ appreciate bottles flying at my head, even if you can appreciate the gesture."

Ren, who had been lounging on the floor, sat up so fast his hat fell off. "You had what?"

Yuu saw Tagiru moving from the sofa and threw out his arm. Tagiru gave him a look like he had kicked a puppy, but Yuu only glared back at him. Tagiru sat back with a huff. Yuu regarded him for a moment before speaking up. "There were bottles flying at your head?" He was glad for his years of practicing self-control now more than ever.

"My fault," Akari slurred, winking at him. "People don't like it when girls break their windows by accident."

"They can pay for a window," Kiriha grunted. "Do they wanna pay for a hospital bed?"

"No lawyers, Kiriha-kun." Nene chided, helping adjust Akari in the chair. Taiki sat on the arm, watching with an expression she could only describe as fondly exasperated.

Hmph. Now he knew how they felt, watching him throw himself into danger on sheer lack of self-preservation.

Not that she would ever tell him that, or any of them would for that matter, except for Akari.

As though reading her mind, Akari's eyes rolled to look at her. A small, worn-out grin wormed onto the redhead's face. Nene winked and looked over at the others again. "Regardless, if that's going to continue, we need to be more careful. As long as we have the Digimon, we're not going to be friends."  _And as long as we keep awakening odd powers, we're even less friendly._

"We'll be perfectly frine if you humans don't throw things at us," Gumdramon said under his breath.

Shoutmon snorted and glanced out the window. "Buddy, we can kill them before they can kill us. I think it's safe to say they have a good reason to be afraid."

"But you wouldn't!" Tagiru's protest came out half a shout. "You guys helped us save the world. You wouldn't do something like that! It'd be..." He paused for a moment, trying to find the most logical and accurate word. "Well, it'd be counterproductive!"

Yuu tried not to smile as Shoutmon shrugged at him. "Everyone here knows that, but the rest of the world has a harder time believing it. They're the ones you need to worry about."

"We could tell someone," Yuu mused. "Of course," He let out a snort. "We'd have to make sure they don't buy into the 'mass hallucination' theory people tend to come up with."

"You humans come up with weird ass names for everything," Gumdramon said with a scoff, and turned back to staring uncomfortably at V-dramon. The Digimon glared right back, unperturbed.

"Do you have something to say to me, Gumdramon?"

Gumdramon would have quailed in the Digital World, but not right now. That was a damn challenge, and he itched to hit something. "Not unless I say it in grunts, dog-breath!"

"No fighting in my house," Ryouma said without looking up from the window. "You blow it up and my mother will kill you before I do."

Taiki made an odd noise that was probably a snort in another life. Akari's head lolled and she dozed off, drooping over straight into Taiki's lap. Taiki blinked, befuddled, but didn't move. Nene giggled behind one hand as Kiriha rolled his eyes.

Ryouma felt an odd lump in his throat and swallowed. He felt Taiki's puzzled eyes flicker towards him and shrugged, turning toward the sound of scratching at the door. Grateful for the distraction, he went to open it, letting BlackTailmon scamper inside.

Gumdramon instantly puffed up, bright eyes growing dark with irritation. "What are you doing here, twinkly?" God, why did she have to show up?

"Twinkly?" Tagiru echoed as the cat laughed.

"Here doing my job, bouncy ball." She lifted herself to her hind paws and bowed to Shoutmon. "Your Majesty."

"Yo." Shoutmon's drawl was punctured with a yawn.

Tagiru glanced at Gumdramon, befuddled. "Uh... who's she?"

"A rotten thief," Gumdramon muttered, crossing his front arms. "The King let her stay in the castle so she'd stop stealing. He's always doing that, giving annoying rats like this second chances and crap."

"It's a reason why he's a good king," BlackTailmon said with a rogue smile. "I think someone's just a little stung that I kicked his butt off a castle tower. Twice."

"You  _cheated_ ," Gumdramon roared, cheeks burning.

V-dramon let out a snicker. "Your lack of balance is well-know, wild child."

Gumdramon huffed, glaring at Tagiru when he dared to laugh.

Ryouma glanced at the cat, who began a careless washing of her paws. "Anything?"

She shrugged, clawing at dirt at the back on an ear. "Nothing exciting aside from property damage." She scratched at one ear. "And lots of murmuring citizens, but until they set the house on fire, I wouldn't worry about any of them." She yawned. "Is Shion still asleep?"

Ryouma nodded. "Could you go keep an eye on her?"

BlackTailmon shrugged. "Certainly." She began to pad away before she paused. "She'll have to get involved one day, you know."

Ryouma pretended he hadn't heard, and she went up the stairs.

Taiki smiled sympathetically and turned his gaze outside.

It was quiet now, but quiet was only temporary.

* * *

Karoku ignored the sound of the microwave, continuing his near frantic typing. "Fascinating," he murmured. "So quickly, so quickly."

"They've always had a habit of exceeding parameters," mused a new voice.

Karoku laughed, throwing locks of hair from his face. He almost spun in his chair, looking at the data before him. "Oh yes, yes, I am aware of that. But this is wonderful. How much can I squeeze out I wonder?"

A snort reverberated in his ears. 'You ought to be careful of just how much you eke out of them. You won't be able to control all of it."

Karoku laughed again. "Oh, my dear man, why would I need to control anything? Anarchy is the most plausible rules society needs."

His companion only sighed. "I suppose that's where we differ."


End file.
